Rain to drive in daylight saving

Gales up to 100km/h are set to lash the North Island this weekend after a brief respite from the week's heavy rain and gales.

Both main forecasters are warning a deepening low will bring strong winds to the central North Island and upper South Island.

The windy weekend weather comes after a storm moved across the North Island midweek, causing slips and bringing down trees and powerlines.

The weekend low would also bring spells of rain to the North Island, with heavy rain in parts of the West Coast of the South Island.

However, westerly and northerly winds are likely to push temperatures well into the mid to upper teens in the afternoons.

The MetService said gales were likely to be worst in Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Manawatu and Marlborough, with gales of 50km/h, gusting to twice that speed, in Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa.

The wind would also pick up in Bay of Plenty and Auckland, but it was unlikely to be as strong.

Auckland could expect gales of 40km/h, with gusts up to 60km/h in exposed places.

MetService duty forecaster Leigh Matheson said Auckland would get some fairly strong westerlies.

"Basically what's happening is there's a fairly active low that's deepened off Tasmania and it's heading towards us now.

"There's quite a good band of rain coming on to the West Coast, but it's fairly weak as it comes on to the North Island," he said.

The low will also bring showers to Northland, Auckland, Wellington and the east, from Gisborne to Wairarapa, today.

Tomorrow, when the clocks move forward an hour, there will be isolated showers turning to rain in the evening, especially in the west.

In the South Island, the MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Westland, Buller and Canterbury from today through tomorrow.

The heaviest rain was expected to fall in the Southern Alps, which would get up to 160mm in 24 hours.

Late September through to early November tend to be New Zealand's windiest months.