Nation's skies set to clear mid-week after soggy weekend

Clive and Hastings played in drizzly conditions during Saturday's rugby and sports premier game at Farndon Park in Clive. Photo / Warren Buckland.

The rain that plagued Saturday night's All Blacks test against the Lions moved off the country over the Gisborne ranges yesterday, causing the heavy rain warning to be lifted, but showers were due to follow in behind at the start of this week.

Although not as heavy as further north, it was a somewhat bleak, soggy weekend for Hawke's Bay and the working week starts off today with cool and showery southwesterlies developing this afternoon, but fine spots ahead for tomorrow and Wednesday across Hawke's Bay.

MetService meteorologist Tuporo Marsters said the southwesterly change expected this afternoon would bring showers but then it was due to clear up tomorrow as a narrow ridge of high pressure moved over the country from the west.

"Tuesday looks great - there will be a bit of early cloud but then it will be mostly fine."

Temperatures were set to peak in Napier at 16C tomorrow but generally highs hovered at about 14C for tomorrow and Wednesday, dropping overnight, with the possibility of early morning frosts on these days in inland areas, Mr Marsters said.

A low blanket of cloud, however, meant overnight temperatures would not drop much below 3C.

Another trough was expected to move on to New Zealand from the Tasman Sea late on Wednesday and during Thursday, at this point predicted to bring more wet weather, possibly hanging around throughout next weekend.

Looking ahead for the months July to September in Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and Wairarapa, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) said temperatures were likely to be above or near average, with a 35 per cent chance of rainfall totals being above normal and soil moisture levels and river flows near or above normal.