Wild weather to bring fierce winds and downpours

Heavy rain and strong winds are expected today. Photo / Thinkstock

High winds and heavy rain are expected in parts of the country in the next few days, with forecasters warning people to be prepared.

MetService has issued a number of severe weather warnings, starting from today through to the weekend.

Strong winds are forecast in the southern part of the North Island this morning, with winds expected to reach up to 120 km/h in the afternoon in exposed parts of the Wairarapa.

Westland, Buller and Greymouth are also warned to expect bursts of heavy rain today, with up to 120mm forecast.

Fiordland can expect heavy downpours with between 50 and 90mm of rain.

Forecaster Hordur Thordarson said Aucklanders could expect windy and patchy weather beginning to build up today and carrying through to tomorrow and Friday.

"We're not expecting very strong winds [today] but there will be northwesterlies and cloudy weather.

"However there will be strong northwesterly winds [tomorrow] - about 40 km/h - with drizzle easing into rain."

A temperature high of 24C is forecast in Auckland today and a low of 15C.

Mr Thordarson said Friday would be the windiest day in Auckland, with gusts forecast to reach up to 80 km/h.

He said the advice was to "just follow the forecast and keep on top of the weather news. There should be strong winds ... it's better to secure any loose things around the house."

Weather Watch head forecaster Philip Duncan said the blast of windy weather which was felt in Auckland on Monday would be more widespread in the next few days.

"This next surge of wind is being created by a low so large it significantly dwarfs Australia," he said.

"While the centre of this low will remain well south in the Southern Ocean and won't cross New Zealand, the pressure gradient between this significant storm and a very strong high in the Tasman Sea will mean the squash zone - where the most intense winds are - will push up over New Zealand from Wednesday afternoon until Saturday night."

Mr Duncan said people should also be closely monitoring weather warnings and news and he advised boaties around the country to check the conditions as well as their moorings.