Sarah McMillan/cvnznews.comNew Zealanders hoping spring would finally deliver a run of settled weather may need to keep their umbrellas close at hand, with forecasters warning of heavy rain on the West Coast and unsettled conditions spreading across much of the country.
MetService has issued a 30-hour Heavy Rain Watch for the ranges of the Westland District, beginning at 9am Tuesday and continuing until 3pm Wednesday.
Forecasters say periods of intense rain could bring hourly falls of between 10mm and 15mm at times, with total accumulations potentially approaching warning thresholds. There remains a moderate chance the watch could be upgraded to a Heavy Rain Warning if conditions worsen.
The latest forecast continues a familiar pattern for many parts of New Zealand, where spring has so far delivered plenty of cloud, rain and unsettled conditions rather than the warmer settled weather many have been waiting for.
While the West Coast faces the greatest risk of significant rainfall, much of the country can expect wet conditions over the coming days.
Northland is forecast to see rain develop later Tuesday, with some heavier bursts possible before conditions ease into isolated showers on Wednesday.
Across Auckland, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty, cloudy skies and scattered showers are expected to dominate before more widespread rain develops on Wednesday.
Further south, regions stretching from Waikato to Wellington, including inland areas and the Wairarapa, are likely to experience increasingly frequent showers, some of which could become heavy through Wednesday afternoon and evening.
Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay are expected to escape the worst of the weather, although periods of cloud and isolated showers remain possible.
In the South Island, Nelson, Marlborough, Buller and Grey can expect periods of rain developing on Wednesday, with heavier falls possible as weather systems move across the country.
Westland and Fiordland remain firmly in the firing line, with repeated rain events forecast and the heaviest downpours focused on the ranges.
Canterbury, Otago and Southland are also facing cloudy conditions and scattered rain, although forecasters say conditions should gradually improve across Canterbury and Otago by Wednesday evening.
The unsettled weather pattern is expected to continue into the latter part of the week.
Thursday is forecast to bring further showers across the North Island, with some potentially heavy afternoon falls. Meanwhile, western parts of the South Island can expect rain to redevelop, including further heavy falls in parts of Westland.
By Friday, rain is expected across northern and western areas of the North Island, while conditions on the South Island’s West Coast begin to gradually ease.
Looking ahead to the weekend, forecasters are predicting a slow improvement, with showers becoming increasingly isolated and many regions seeing lighter conditions by Saturday.
For now, however, New Zealand’s spring weather shows little sign of settling down, with umbrellas, raincoats and gumboots likely to remain essential accessories for much of the country this week.
