Heavy rain and gales to darken blue skies in Northland, Auckland

Aucklanders have bathed in warm sunshine today but the clear skies are set to prove fleeting as heavy rain and thunderstorms are set to swamp the city again.

Auckland and Northland can expect downpours to hit tomorrow and continue on for the next four days, before easing around Tuesday, forecaster WeatherWatch says.

"November has seen hundreds of thunderstorms across New Zealand and the start of summer on the meteorological calender is no different," it said.

MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Northland beginning from 1pm tomorrow and for Auckland beginning from 9pm in the evening.

After a sunny 23C today, Auckland is tipped to hit a high of 21C tomorrow, with strong winds strengthening to possible gale force with gusts up to 100km/h, with the bleak weather to last into the weekend.

Whangarei is also expecting a high of 21C tomorrow with wet and windy conditions.

MetService said the wet weather is also likely to hit much of the rest of the country with heavy rain warnings also likely to be issued for other areas of the North Island, as well as the top of the South Island.

This IR Satellite image shows the koru of cloud as a rain band wraps into a deep low in the Tasman Sea. The rain band arrives to Northland tomorrow. MetService have issued a Severe Weather Watch for Northland & Auckland. Latest updates & details at https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^Lisa pic.twitter.com/yZIIYDKhbq

— MetService (@MetService) November 28, 2018

It has forecast Hamilton to reach 21C tomorrow with a few showers, while Tauranga could expect 20C and heavy evening falls, while Wellington is tipped to reach 22C with morning drizzle and afternoon sunshine.

Drizzling rain is also forecast to hit the South Island tomorrow with Christchurch and Dunedin expecting a top of 17C, while Invercargill is tipped to reach 21C and Queenstown a high of 22C.

WeatherWatch said the rainy conditions were normal for the start of summer.

"December is set to start with tropical northerlies bringing moisture down over New Zealand with extra tropical heat," the forecaster said.

"When [this is] combined with our local daytime heating inland, it's the perfect recipe for big cloud build-ups, downpours and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evenings."

"This is normal weather for this time of the year as true summer starts to move in (usually kicking in properly by January)."

Views across beautiful Lake Taupo this morning with almost clear skies and a great view of Mount Ruapehu in the distance. Convection started bubbling up this afternoon with clouds rolling in. Gusty southeast winds causing the jerky camera. Forecasts at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^AB pic.twitter.com/gIhnwb9HQO

— MetService (@MetService) November 29, 2018