Cold blast at weekend will see mercury plunge

The storm also brought disruption to the Mid North with fallen trees blocking two major roads. Photo / File

Out with the rain and in with the cold for Northland this weekend, says MetService.

It warns a southerly blast is likely to chop overnight temperatures in the region to 4C to 5C early Sunday and Monday.

Whangarei, Kerikeri and Paihia would be worst affected.

Meteorologist Rob Kerr said a northerly flow from the middle of next week should bring respite to Northlanders as it would drive temperatures back to double digits.

A weather front with warm tropical air that moved from north to south on Wednesday evening brought heavy rain in parts of the region.

Dargaville had the highest rainfall in Northland at 37.4mm between 9pm on Wednesday and 4am yesterday.

Kerikeri recorded 34.4mm in the 12 hours to 5am yesterday, and the most rain (22.8mm) fell in the three hours before 1am.

In Kaitaia 34.2mm of rain fell from 9pm on Wednesday to 4am yesterday. Mr Kerr said rain was most persistent in Kerikeri as the area was more exposed to the northerly winds.

The top three maximum temperatures throughout the country were recorded in Northland on Wednesday. Whangarei Airport topped the list at 18.1C, while Kaitaia Hospital and Kerikeri airport recorded 16.9C.

The storm also brought disruption to the Mid North with fallen trees blocking two major roads.

The first incident was on State Highway 1, south of Pakaraka junction, when a tree fell across the southbound lane just before midnight on Wednesday. Volunteers from the Kaikohe Fire Brigade cleared the road in heavy rain.

About 20 minutes later, about 12.15am yesterday, the Kerikeri Fire Brigade went to Wiroa Rd, about 1km from Bay of Islands Airport, where a tree was blocking both lanes. Firefighters used a chainsaw to cut it up.