Weekend weather: Fog could disrupt Christchurch flights, but most rain moves off North Island

If you’re flying in or out of Christchurch this morning, it might be a good idea to pop onto your airline’s app or website.

Dozens of flights in and out of the city yesterday were affected by low visibility and fog, which is forecast to return today before clearing late morning, according to MetService.

But while school holiday and other travellers in or on their way to the Garden City may face headaches this morning, parents in the upper North Island could be praising the weather gods for a reprieve from the latest bout of wet conditions.

Heavy rain and the threat of thunderstorms locked in an inside day for those in the top half of the island yesterday.

What kind of weather would you like? 🤔
At 11am, we had some rain in Whangarei, cloud in Gisborne, sun peeping through clouds in Timaru, and blue skies in Queenstown.
Airport webcams are just one of our many sources of real-time weather data 📽🛫 pic.twitter.com/vlcu9v6iKO

— MetService (@MetService) April 20, 2024

But today was expected to be better, albeit still a bit unsettled in places, including school holiday favourites, MetService meteorologist Alwin Bakker said.

“The low affecting the North Island will be moving away to the east, just getting the tail end of it … with showers. The chance of a shower will be higher in the east.”

Aucklanders can expect isolated showers that become widespread and possibly heavy for a time late in the morning and afternoon, and a high of 19C, with similar conditions expected in Whāngārei.

Tauranga would be partly cloudy with the odd shower, possibly heavy in the afternoon - but also enjoying a high of 22C, while the afternoon could bring a few showers, including heavy bursts with thunderstorms in Taupō.

The capital looked set to escape most of the wet weather, with a mainly fine day interrupted by a few spots of rain and enjoying a high of 17C.

Although the South Island was drier yesterday, a series of weak cold fronts made for a chilly day, including an expected overnight low of 7C in Christchurch, but a more temperate 18C was expected after this morning’s forecast fog cleared.

Dunedin would be mostly cloudy with occasional rain before dawn and in the evening, and with a high of 16C. Queenstown would also be cloudy, with evening showers and 17C forecast.

A juggler at Circus Kumarani in Northland last year mimics the balancing act Kiwi parents face keeping their kids occupied indoors around New Zealand's changeable weather. Photo / NZME

And while most of us are back to work tomorrow, kids blessed with a second week of school holidays could look forward to more settled weather, Bakker said.

Temperatures would remain mild, with highs around 20C across most of the top half of the North Island and the top of the South Island, and in the mid-to-late teens elsewhere.

It was looking “quite nice everywhere” tomorrow, he said.

“There’s a big ridge of high pressure across the whole country. There’ll still likely be some showers about, but it’s generally looking nicer than [we’ve had].”

Tuesday was expected to be mainly fine across the country, although isolated showers may fall in Northland and Auckland, and it could be wet in Fiordland and Westland.

Cherie Howie is an Auckland-based reporter who joined the Herald in 2011. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years and specialises in general news and features.