MetService meteorologist David Miller said much of the severe weather currently affecting the country was easing, with clearer skies forecast for Saturday afternoon.
In the North Island, Friday’s heavy rain is gradually clearing.
It comes after a wild 36 hours in parts of the country, with weather contributing to two people having to be rescued from their car after it was trapped in floodwaters in Nelson.
Further north, Auckland Coastguard rescuers had to brace against three-metre swells and 40-knot winds overnight on Thursday when the wild weather stranded a yachtswoman.
“The rain, particularly in the northeastern parts of the North Island, will continue until early Saturday morning,” Miller said.
“Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Gisborne area will see rain into the early hours, but it will clear to the east as the morning progresses.”
That forecast should be good news for sports fans who have tickets for Saturday’s final match of the ODI series between the Black Caps and Pakistan at Mt Maunganui.
For Saturday, western areas of the North Island, from Northland to Wellington, will experience a few scattered showers.
However, these will be much lighter than Friday’s rain.
Miller said there was a clear easing trend, and by the afternoon, the showers should be few and far between.
Major centres such as Auckland and Hamilton are in for a cloudy morning with isolated showers, but both cities should clear significantly by the afternoon.
In Wellington, a light southerly change is expected to bring a few morning showers.
“The southerly change will bring a brief burst of showers during the morning, but these will clear up as we move into the afternoon,” said Miller.
“By the afternoon, we can expect an improving trend.”
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In the South Island, Saturday will also bring some changes, with a west-southwesterly flow bringing scattered showers.
Christchurch, which experienced a warm 27°C on Friday, will cool to a high of around 17°C on Saturday.
Dunedin’s 29.1C on Friday was its hottest April temperature on record since 1947, and was followed by lightning activity in the afternoon.
On Saturday, wet conditions are expected to be more isolated and temperatures cooler.
In Auckland, cloudy skies will persist through the morning, with a few showers expected.
However, conditions are set to improve by the afternoon, with temperatures reaching a high of 23°C.
Hamilton will also experience isolated showers in the morning, clearing later in the day, with a similar high of 23°C.
Wellington will see showers in the morning, due to the southerly change, but these will clear by afternoon, with the high reaching 20°C.
Christchurch’s morning showers will dissipate as the day progresses, bringing some sunshine in the afternoon.
In Dunedin, isolated morning showers will give way to fine breaks in the afternoon.
