More heavy rain is coming with WeatherWatch.co.nz and other forecasters indicating rain warnings may again be issued to northern and eastern parts of New Zealand – the same regions hit by frequent heavy downpours, slips, flooding and road closures over the past month.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says while more heavy rain is coming, there will be some sun and warmth too – even if only briefly.  “The North Island will especially notice the warmth as this next very large low moves in – this time pulling warm air down over parts of the country from as far north as near New Caledonia”.

Mr Duncan says days will be mild with nights in the north especially warm for this time of the year.

“The current low will gradually weaken over the next 24 hours and so Friday and parts of Saturday may well be spring-like yet again with highs in the late teens, possibly even 20 if that warm northerly kicks in before the rain clouds do on Saturday”.

Mr Duncan says the next low is sizeable but not especially nasty.  “It will cover most of the Tasman Sea then bring in heavy rain during Saturday and Sunday for the North Island and Sunday and Monday for eastern areas of the South”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says authorities should be prepared for more slips, flooding and potential powercuts with the ground saturated now in many regions. 

Cormandel Peninsula, western Bay of Plenty and the Gisborne regions appear to be worst hit by heavy rains recently but slips and flooding have also affected roads in Marlborough and Canterbury.

The warm weather won’t be for everyone though.  South Island weather analyst Aaron Wilkinson says more snow is coming for parts of the South Island – but no where near sea level.  In a pattern that has surfaced a number of times in recent weeks a cold south easterly wind will blow rain and only single digit highs to places like Canterbury and coastal Otago early next week with that rain turning to snow for the skifields.

“Snow is expected down to 600m in Canterbury with patchy rain or drizzle for Christchurch on Monday” says Mr Wilkinson.  He predicts the Garden City will only reach 8 degrees on Monday – but overnight lows won’t be brutal, dropping to around 5 or 6 degrees.

The sou’easter will have the reverse effect of the nor’wester for those on the other side of the Southern Alps.  The winds will dry out and warm up as they climb and descend over the ranges bringing warmer, sunnier, weather to the West Coast once again this year.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz