Weather: West Coast roads flooded but sunny spells ahead

Auckland will have fine weather on Saturday with rain on Sunday. PHOTO/Greg Bowker

Motorists are urged to be careful on the flooded roads around the West Coast.

Christchurch Transport Operations Centre issued a warning for State Highway 67 between Granity and Hector and State Highway 6 between Westport and Greymouth due to flooding and debris affecting the road.

MetService meteorologist Arno Dyason said the West Coast was experiencing rough seas with a 5m swell. High tide was just after 3pm and the flooding should subside soon, he said.

The rest of New Zealand should have a relatively nice weekend, Dyason said. The North Island will be mostly fine on Saturday while the South Island cops the first of the cold front with rain and showers.

"Tomorrow it really switches around [from Friday].

"In the South Island there'll be typical heavy rain in the west and scattered rain further east."

Dyason said Wellington will have some of the worst weather of the North Island on Saturday as it starts off the day cloudy and experiences increasingly stronger winds and rain developing. He said the capital can expect showers from midday that will get heavier towards the evening.

Then on Sunday the North Island will get rain before the weather clears around the country as the front slowly moves on.

Central New Zealand will get a bit gusty with strong winds from Wanganui down to the Marlborough Sounds increasing as the front passes over.

Main centre forecasts for Saturday

Whangarei
Fine spells with cloud increasing in the evening. Northwesterly winds and a high of 20°C.

Auckland
Fine spells with cloud increasing in the evening. Southwesterly then northeasterly winds and a high of 18°C.

Hamilton
Fine in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon and the odd spot of late rain. Westerly winds and a high of 18°C.

Tauranga
Fine in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon and the odd spot of late rain. Westerly winds and a high of 19°C.

Wellington
Cloudy periods with showers increasing from the afternoon to evening rain. Northwesterly winds and a high of 15°C.

Christchurch
Cloudy at times with a few showers. Northerly winds turn to southerlies and a high of 20°C.

Dunedin
Cloudy at times with a few showers. Southwesterly winds and a high of 15°C.

Queenstown
Cloudy with a few morning showers. Southwesterly winds and a high of 15°C.​