Sun, wind and rain ahead for long weekend

APNZ

22 Oct, 2013 09:34 PM2 mins to read

Rough weather and sunny weather are both in the forecast this long weekend. Generally speaking western areas of the South Island will be wet, eastern areas of both islands warm and sunny and southern areas of both islands cool and windy. Northern NZ looks to be most settled with some stunning weather for those regions in the far north and north east – but even this big low in the Southern Ocean will bring a few showers and brisk westerlies to northern areas.

The country is in for a mixed bag of weather over Labour Weekend, with sun, wind and rain predicted.

MetService meteorologist Dan Corbett said an active front across the country could bring rain and thunderstorms by Friday, followed by a westerly, wet flow from the Tasman Sea.

"So any folks who might be going to some western areas, maybe the West Coast of the South Island, that will at times be feeding in some clouds and showers.

"Eastern spots will do pretty well - pretty dry and mild - so Canterbury, Hawkes Bay will do pretty well."

Those areas should reach temperatures in the upper teens or lower 20s, he said.

There would be some showers on Sunday across the country, Mr Corbett said.

"It's a typical Labour Weekend where you've got a bit of wet weather."

WeatherWatch.co.nz has predicted gale force winds for some areas.

Analyst Philip Duncan said the winds would be strong to gale force for some exposed and eastern areas of the South Island and about the lower North Island - but in sheltered areas further away from the ranges, or in the north, the weather could be "stunning".

"However, it's the unpredictable nature of gusty winds that could be an issue," he said.

"As the winds tilt from say North West to more West North West that tiny change could push gusty winds to where you are - or it might ease them. That's the reality of New Zealand's geography on our weather."