Don’t put your umbrellas away just yet, as rain is expected for the rest of the week and into the weekend for most of the country.
And that includes several heavy rain warnings and heavy rain watches for parts of the country tonight.
A large low is expected to lie slow-moving in the Tasman Sea over the weekend, with various rain-bands spreading over New Zealand.
Additionally, the atmosphere is expected to be quite unstable, with afternoon and evening thunderstorms expected over parts of the South Island from Friday to Monday, and parts of the North Island from Sunday to Tuesday.
A heavy rain warning has been placed over the Bay of Plenty areas between Tauranga and Whakatane, including Rotorua until 9pm tonight with rainfall amounts that may approach warning criteria.
Heavy rain watches have also been issued over the Gisborne ranges, north of Tolaga Bay and Tasman, northwest of Motueka in the South Island, where rainfall amounts may approach warning level.
People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any watches are upgraded to warnings, or further areas are added.
Thunderstorms are expected to develop over the southern half of the South Island this afternoon and evening, bringing heavy rain with intensities of 15 to 25 mm/h and hail 10 to 20 mm in diameter.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued https://t.co/Lr5a8M8pzn pic.twitter.com/mKGQEnHXyC
— MetService Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) December 14, 2022
There is a risk that some of these thunderstorms could become slow-moving and severe, producing localised downpours of 25 to 40mm.
Rainfall of this intensity can cause surface and/or flash flooding, especially in low-lying areas such as streams, rivers or narrow valleys, and may also lead to slips.
Driving conditions will also be hazardous with surface flooding and poor visibility in heavy rain.
Looking ahead to the weekend, there is a chance of heavy rainfall throughout most of the country from Saturday December 17 to Tuesday December 20.
There is forecast to be high humidity over the whole North Island and much of the South Island this weekend.
Hope everyone likes high humidity (🟣). pic.twitter.com/od05rrg8GZ
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) December 14, 2022
The National Emergency Management Agency advises that as storms approach you should:
MetService advises that during and after the storm, you should also: