Weather: Miserable end to long weekend

File photo / Chris Gorman

It will be a miserable end to the Labour weekend holiday for most of the country with rain warnings and wind watches in place.

A front moving up the country will drop up to 170mm of rain in some areas, with central parts and the North Island being worst hit tomorrow, prompting calls for motorists to take extra care as they return home from the long weekend away.

Rain warnings are in place for Buller and the Tararua Ranges, and a wind watch is out for exposed parts of Wairarapa, MetService meteorologist Chelsea Glue said.

"At the moment we've got a front moving up the South Island, and overnight that will spread over central New Zealand, bringing rain and just ease into showers behind," she said.

"Tomorrow that will spread up the North Island, and then over the South Island it should start clearing, becoming fine in the south."

Buller and the Tararua Ranges are under heavy rain warnings from tonight into Monday morning, with 170mm of rainfall predicted in the Tararuas and 140mm in Buller.

A rain watch is also in place for northwest Nelson overnight, and for the North Island hill country for tomorrow.

Northwest gales are expected in exposed areas of Wairarapa tomorrow morning, where a watch is in place.

"That will start easing later on behind the front as that passes through," Ms Glue said.

The north and central areas would feel the brunt of the wind and rain tomorrow, with the South Island clearing to some showers which gradually become confined to the ranges.

Aucklanders will see today's cloud building overnight with some drizzle developing and turning to rain tomorrow as the front moves in, she said.

Both police and the New Zealand Transport Agency have warned drivers to take extra care on the roads tomorrow, advising motorists to reduce speed and increase following distances in the rain.

The poor weather will continue for most of the week with another front moving in on Tuesday from the west, bringing with it rain and strong winds.

"For the rest of the week that front will move away, but we'll be left with strong westerlies and showers in most places, so it's probably not going to be that great," Ms Glue said.

"That will gradually ease towards Friday, so getting better towards the end of the week."

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MAIN CENTRES FORECAST:

* Whangarei: Tomorrow will see cloud increasing with a few evening showers, a fresh northwest wind and a high of 20C. Expect rain at times on Tuesday, with a strong northwest wind and a high of 21C.

* Auckland: Cloud increasing with the chance of showers turning to evening rain and a fresh northwesterly on Monday, with a high of 18C. Tuesday will see rain at times, persistent in the evening and a fresh northwest wind, a high of 20C.

* Hamilton: Rain develops on Monday afternoon, with the chance of it turning heavy in the evening, a fresh northwesterly and a high of 17C. Rain at times on Tuesday, becoming more persistent in the evening, a fresh northwest wind and a high of 20C.

* Tauranga: Rain developing on Monday afternoon and early evening, as a northwesterly strengthens and a high of 18C. Early showers on Tuesday, turning to rain by the afternoon, with northwesterlies and a high of 19C.

* Wellington: Rain on Monday, heavy for a time, clearing by the evening, with a southerly change, and a high of 14C. Tuesday will see afternoon and evening showers and a strong gusty northwest wind, with a high of 17C.

* Christchurch: A few early showers on Monday, becoming fine, with evening cloud, and a southerly wind dying out, and a high of 11C. Tuesday will be warmer with a high of 17C, cloud, a few spots of evening rain and a strong northerly.

* Dunedin: Fine tomorrow with evening cloud, as the southwest wind dies out, and a high of 10C. Periods of rain on Tuesday with a strong northeast wind turning westerly, and a high of 15C.

(Source: MetService)