Forecast - Wednesday 11.09.2013

[Te Puke Weather]

A strong northwesterly airflow lies over the country today with a front working it's way into central New Zealand this afternoon. Northwesterlies ahead of the front may reach gale force about the upper South Island and lower North Island. Behind the front winds will remain gusty but will ease off a bit.

Auckland & Northland
Mostly cloudy skies with some occasional rain, mainly morning with long dry spells in the afternoon. Overnight rain moves in from the west and becomes heavy by dawn on Thursday morning. Breezy northwesterly winds.
Highs: 17-19

Bay Of Plenty, Waikato & Central North Island
Cloudy with occasional rain, rain becomes heavy about the Central North Island in the evening then further north overnight. Breezy northwesterlies.
Highs: 14-18

Eastern North Island
Sunny with thickening high cloud, northwestlies become strong in the afternoon possibly rising to gale force at times. About Wairarapa winds will be strong all day with gale force northwesterlies likely at times. Some rain moves into the Wairarapa in the evening then further north overnight.
Highs: 18-20

Western North Island
Mostly cloudy with some rain about Taranaki and Kapiti, strong gusty northwesterly winds especially midday onwards. Widespread heavy rain moves through mid to late evening then eases towards dawn the next morning.
Highs: 16-17

Wellington
Cloudy with severe gale northerly winds, some rain at times. In the evening a period of heavy rain moves through which clears overnight.
High: 15

Nelson
Strong gusty northwesterly winds with periods of rain, rain heavy for a time late afternoon and evening then easing overnight with winds backing off too.
Highs: 15-16

Marlborough
Thick high cloud with gale force northwesterly winds for much of the day, severe gale gusts are possible at times. The odd spit of rain then late afternoon and evening a period of more sustained rain moves through then clears at night with winds easing.
Highs: 18-20

Canterbury
Some morning rain, heavy and possibly thundery about the foothills clears. Becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon with gale north to northwest winds easing
Highs: 18-20

West Coast
Heavy rain with thunderstorms, easing during the afternoon however still the odd heavy fall about. Gusty north to northwesterly winds.
Highs: 14-15

Coastal Otago
Sunny with some high cloud, northwesterly winds. Late evening winds change southwest with a few showers and some snow possible down to 500m.
Highs: 17-18

Central Otago
High cloud with breezy north to northwesterly winds, some rain moves in mid to late afternoon then eases overnight. Some snow to 800m later in the evening lowering to 500m overnight then clearing.
Highs: 12-13

Southland
High cloud in the morning with a few spots of rain possible and brisk northwesterlies, winds change southwest mid to late afternoon with heavy thundery showers moving through with hail. Snow to 800m from evening lowering to 400m at night. Showers ease overnight.
Highs: 11-12

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson - WeatherWatch.co.nz

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[JennyLeez]

Rainfall Forecast:

An active front is slow-moving from Westland to north Canterbury but is expected to move northwards later today, to lie across Cook Strait around midnight tonight. It should then move across the North Island on Thursday. This front is preceded by an extremely strong northwest flow, with very heavy rain and thunderstorms about the West Coast from Westland to Nelson, spreading east over the Canterbury Headwaters. Total rainfall accumulations of 250 to 350mm for the event are expected about the Westland ranges and the Main Divide. Intense falls of 30 to 40mm/hr are expected about the Southern Alps. Heavy rain is also expected to spread to the Tararua Range, Mount Taranaki, the North Island central high country and eastern Bay of Plenty today. In all these areas intense rainfalls are likely to cause rivers to rapidly rise with the risk of flash flooding. A second weaker front is expected to approach Fiordland tonight. West to northwesterlies ahead of this front should bring further rain to the South Island west coast today, but with lesser intensities than the first front.

In addition, severe northwest gales are likely to continue for parts of Canterbury, Marlborough, Wellington and Wairarapa with gusts of 140 km/h, although they should gradually ease from the south. Severe northwest gales with gusts 120 km/h are also expected to spread to Hawkes Bay and Gisborne today. Severe gales in parts of Southland, Fiordland and Otago have eased. Winds of this strength are likely to bring down trees and powerlines, and make driving dangerous, especially for motorcycles and high sided vehicles.
Metservice


NZLWF

[JennyLeez]

The main front associated with this spring storm makes its way into central New Zealand this afternoon, and then moves over the North Island overnight.

The main concerns today will be much like they were yesterday, very strong winds and heavy rain. Expect strong northwesterly gales for North Canterbury in the east through to the lower North Island. Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne may see winds gusting to gale force at times from afternoon also, while Wellington may receive severe gale winds for much of the day.

Torrential rain keeps north of Greymouth today, the front moves north of Buller in the evening with conditions easing there. About the North Island in the west, (south of the Central North Island) heavy falls move over after midnight.

Behind the front winds ease, but they will still remain fairly gusty through Canterbury and further north as the front moves on. Rain on the West Coast eases also but there may still be the odd heavy fall about, especially south of Greymouth where thunderstorms are possible too.

Late afternoon a front moves onto Southland and this may bring thunderstorms with hail, even some snow down to 400m overnight. The main effects of this front won't be felt in the northern part of the island, with Otago its last port of call before it pushes offshore to the east. Canterbury may well see a wind change later in the night, however nothing much looks to come of it.