Torrential downpours, isolated thunderstorms, squally winds and tornadoes have made up the weather this week – damaging buildings, cars and cutting off roads and railways lines.

WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasters say a low in the Southern Ocean is now churning north east towards the North Island. 

“Overnight Friday and into Saturday morning this low will travel all the way to Auckland/Waikato region and drift across the North Island to lie north east of New Zealand by Sunday” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

“This means Friday is the day the centre of the low moves closer – and with it comes many heavy squally showers around western and central New Zealand followed by a colder change of air”.

Colder southerlies will spread north across the day – clearing the skies finally for West Coasters by the time the weekend kicks off – in fact Saturday may well be a brilliantly sunny dry day as south to south east winds blow across the West Coast.

Friday will see heavy showers, some with thunder and even hail especially in western areas and central and northern areas – with clearing skies further south behind it.

Most South Island regions will be out of ‘severe weather territory’ by the end of Friday and by early Saturday for the North Island. 

Windy and wet weather may linger around the East Cape/Gisborne area a little longer with the low offshore from them this weekend.

Next week a high rolls in – with perhaps a few showers around some coastal areas between Monday and Wednesday, but generally dry weather moves in next week, especially later in the week.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz