Blowy times ahead, along with higher temperatures

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Strong winds are forecast for much of the North Island, but no warnings have been issued for the Gisborne region.

However, the daily weather records indicate the district has entered the drying wind season.

So far this month Gisborne has had 10 days of westerly or northerly winds, and the extended outlook from MetService says the district can expect this to continue right through the next nine days, including Saturday, September 23.

MetService has issued an advisory saying much of New Zealand would be battered by strong winds into the weekend, and put out a number of warnings and watches for the areas expected to be most affected.

For this region, some showers might pass through, but the long-range forecast is for fine weather through to Saturday week.

Following the exceptionally strong high pressure system at the beginning of this week, more high pressure systems are lined up to cross the Tasman, bringing warm air from Australia.

MetService and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research both pick above-average temperatures over the coming days, especially in the east of both islands.

Afternoon temperatures above 20 degrees are expected here, along the east coast from East Cape to Canterbury.

The afternoon highs get a boost from the Föhn effect as winds sweep down from inland hills.

(Descending air compresses as the molecules are squeezed closer together and friction causes heat.)

No significant rain is on the horizon over the next week and a half.

With sunny days and wind, the process of evapotranspiration (loss of soil moisture) will pick up.

As of yesterday moisture loss over the past week has averaged 2.4 millimetres a day, and this can be expected to increase in the days ahead.

The current soil moisture deficit is around 45mm.

Despite some rain on Sunday and Monday the month so far has had just 13.3mm - well short of the 30-year average for September of 71mm.