Heavy rain and 90km/h gusts set to hit school holiday weekend

Heavy rain and gusts up to 90km/h are set to lash parts of the country as the first week of the school holidays wraps up.

A front is expected to move northwards from the deep south tonight into tomorrow morning.

MetService meteorologist Maddy Neal told the Herald the front would bring heavy rain and strong northwest winds ahead of it.

She said it was looking to be “a wet start” for many this weekend.

“If you’re planning on taking the kids outside, pack a rain jacket and an extra layer,” Neal said.

The system is forecast to track north up the South Island before reaching the lower North Island on Saturday.

The rain is expected to pass over Auckland and Northland on Sunday.

MetService said a heavy rain watch associated with the front has been issued for Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound from 7am tomorrow until 3pm.

A strong wind watch will be in place for Southland, Clutha, Dunedin, Central Otago and the Southern Lakes from 3am until noon tomorrow.

Neal said gusts up to 90km/h were expected in exposed places.

“The front moving on to the South Island brings a pause to the relatively settled weather we’ve been experiencing this week,” she said.

Warmth before temperatures drop

Neal said spring had set in for New Zealand, bringing changeable weather and temperatures.

Tomorrow, temperatures were expected to be warmer, reaching the low 20s in eastern areas as northwesterly winds strengthened.

Neal said Blenheim and Kaikōura were looking at highs of 23C, and Christchurch was set to reach 22C.

In the North Island, Napier and Hastings were forecast to reach 23C tomorrow.

“This warmth isn’t going to last the weekend. A noticeable drop in temperatures is expected behind this front,” MetService said.

Places that hit the low 20s tomorrow were likely to struggle to crack the high teens over the weekend, such as Blenheim, which will reach 13C.

“If you’re getting a high of 23C one day and then only 13C the next, I think you’ll be a bit disappointed by your Saturday,” Neal said.

Heavy rain and strong winds are set to batter parts of the country from tomorrow. Photo / NZME

Despite the wet and windy start to the weekend, Neal said most of the South Island should expect a dry Sunday.

By Sunday afternoon, MetService said the wet weather would have cleared for much of the country.

“Once this front has gone through, we’re going to have a ridge of high pressure move back over the country. So the settled weather that we’re experiencing for the majority of this week will be returning at least for the start of next week,” Neal said.