Weather: Soggy start to weekend as rain moves north

It will be a wet start to the weekend. File photo / Sylvie Whinray

Friday will be a soggy day for much of the country with rain moving across one island to the other.

There is a heavy rain warning in place between Westland to the Otago Lakes, which will last from Thursday morning through until Thursday afternoon.

Heavy Rain Watch issued for Bay of Plenty, Buller, Kapiti-Horowhenua, Nelson, Northland, Taranaki, Wairarapa, Wellington https://t.co/443fE5sWn3

— MetService Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) March 8, 2023

It could bring heavy rain which may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous.

On top of this, there is a heavy rain watch for swathes of Northland on Friday. North of Kaikohe can expect heavy rain and thunderstorms between 8am and 2pm on Friday, and Bay of Plenty east of Opotiki is forecast to see the same between noon and 6pm.

Strong Wind Watch issued for Wairarapa, Wellington https://t.co/443fE5sWn3

— MetService Severe Weather Info (@MetServiceWARN) March 8, 2023

Taranaki and the Tararua Range will also see heavy rain from midnight Thursday to Friday afternoon.

The front, preceded by a strong moist northerly flow, will move north today and across the North Island tomorrow bringing periods of heavy rain and thunder with it.

The forecast rain accumulations show a shift of focus from the South, to the North Island tomorrow as a front brings a period of rain and possible 🌩 north of Cook Strait

The weekend is looking more settled weather-wise, though another front affects the lower South Island Sunday pic.twitter.com/K14nC8Q3nR

— MetService (@MetService) March 8, 2023

Metservice meteorologist Angus Hines said some spots will have “quite heavy” rain as the band of rain moves up on Friday but it’s not all bad news.

“It’s actually going to ease up nationwide – much of the country looks like it will have quite a clear weekend for Friday afternoon, and for the North Island that will last all the way until Sunday”.

However, for the South Island the rain will settle back in on Sunday – and before either Island gets that respite, Hines said there was “a fair amount of rain to get through first”.