Rain warnings for central New Zealand, two regions in for scorching weekend weather

Parts of the country are in store for a sweltering weekend but a front is bringing grim weather to some West Coast areas.

While Ashburton is set for a high of 30C tomorrow, MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan told the Herald the front is bringing rain to central parts of the country.

“That’s kind of lying over the northern part of the South Island and through the Cook Strait. It’s pretty damp and cloudy and grizzly outside here in Wellington and we’ve got some heavy rain warnings out for parts of the West Coast.”

Corrigan said the warnings covered areas from Harihari northward.

“We’ve got an orange heavy rain warning out for northern Westland and Buller and then a heavy rain watch for Tasman, west of Takaka, and those come into effect tonight.”

🌧 Heavy Rain Warning update

🟡 Yellow Watch for the Tararua Range from now til 2am tomorrow

🟠 Orange Warnings for Buller and northern Westland coming into effect tonight as the rain reintensifies, also a 🟡 Watch for Tasman west of Takaka

ℹ Details https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/jYPQkxlHWG

— MetService (@MetService) December 15, 2023

He told the Herald those areas have had heavy rain in the last day but this would ease off during the day today and then re-intensify tonight when the warnings come back into effect.

Further to the north and further to the south he said it would be pretty dry, especially for the upper North Island.

“For the likes of Auckland, we’re looking at a daytime high of 23 degrees today and 24 tomorrow, which is fairly typical of this time of year; Auckland to average a daytime high of 22 in December.”

He said they have forecast a high of 29C in Hastings and Alexandra today, and 28C in Gisborne.

“But it’s also eastern parts of the South Island tomorrow that are going to see a hike in the temperatures up into the high twenties.”

Christchurch is set for a high of 29C on Sunday but this will cool off in the afternoon due to a southerly wind.

“The temperature forecasts can be off by a couple degrees in these situations because it’s tricky to say where those winds are going to be making it right down to the surface.

“But one thing for sure is that there’s going to be some temperatures in the high twenties right across Canterbury tomorrow until that suddenly comes and swings down.’