A Cold Wet Weekend ahead 17th - 19th of September 2015

[NZLW]

A low and associated fronts are expected to weaken and move northeast over the South Island on Thursday, then the North Island on Friday. Strong to gale northwesterlies precede the low and fronts, with rain expected about western and southern areas. There is a low risk of heavy rain about northern Fiordland, Westland, Buller and the Northwest Nelson Ranges on Thursday, with a moderate risk about the Tararua Range, Taranaki, Waitomo, Taumarunui and Taihape from Thursday to Friday. In addition, there is a low risk that gale northwesterlies about Wellington and the Wairarapa, may approach severe gale on Thursday.

Cold rain is expected to spread north over eastern and southern parts of the South Island during Friday and Saturday, with snow expected to about 400 metres. There is a moderate risk that snow accumulation could approach warning amounts above 400 metres about Canterbury and Marlborough from Friday to Saturday, with a small possibility that it could extend into Sunday.

Meanwhile, a low is expected to approach the North Island from the north Tasman Sea during Saturday, with easterlies and rain spreading over the North Island during the weekend. At this stage, the position and depth of this low is fairly uncertain, however, currently the heaviest rain is expected about northern and eastern parts of the North Island. There is a moderate risk of heavy rain about Northland, Auckland, eastern Waikato, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay from Saturday to Sunday, and a low risk about Wellington, Wairarapa and the Marlborough Sounds. Easterlies may rise to gale about central parts of New Zealand over the weekend, with a low risk of severe gales about Manawatu, Kapiti Coast, Horowhenua, Marlborough Sounds and western parts of Nelson.

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