Weather: Tasman in line for more rain, strong winds for Auckland

Western parts of the upper South Island that were smashed in last week's deluge are in line for more rain while brief but heavy downpours and strong winds are expected in Auckland.

MetService has issued a series of weather warnings covering large parts of the country as a front is expected to make landfall tomorrow before moving down the country from the north.

In Auckland, the heavy rain is expected to give way to sunshine in time for the weekend.

Heavy rain is expected in the Tasman District, west of Motueka, from tomorrow afternoon through to Friday morning.

Hundreds of homes were evacuated and a State of Emergency was declared in the Nelson-Tasman region as heavy rain caused flooding and slips in what Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese called a "one-in-100-year weather event."

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/weather-tasman-in-line-for-more-rain-strong-winds-for-auckland/CASBR3KJ3IX7QRYS7U2ZWLN7ZI/

Experts said that weather event - called an atmospheric river - may be linked to climate change but that would need to be confirmed by future analysis.

Collingwood, in the Tasman District, was virtually cut off from the rest of the world during the storm after it lost all phone, cellphone, and internet coverage and flooding and slips blocked the main highway to Tākaka.

Weather warnings of heavy rain over the coming days have been issued by MetService for Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Mount Taranaki and Tasman.

In Westland, up 90mm of rain about the ranges and up to 40mm about the coast is expected to accumulate on top of what has already fallen. An orange heavy rain warning is in place until Wednesday 5pm.

Strong winds are expected in Northland, with a warning in force until Thursday 5pm. Other strong wind warnings are in place for Auckland and Great Barrier Island and the Wellington region.

According to Niwa, 68mm of rain is expected to accumulate in Tauranga and 50mm in Taranaki over the coming days.

In Auckland, heavy rain on Thursday is expected to ease to showers on Friday before giving way to dryer conditions on Saturday and Sunday. On Thursday, northwest winds could become severe gales in exposed places.