Heavy rain possibility for Auckland, best of the North Island

MetService is warning of a risk of heavy rain in Auckland, Northland and eastern Bay of Plenty on Friday.

The rest of the country is also expected to get some rain, with heavy falls and thunderstorms possible in many areas.

“A front is expected to move east across the North Island today bringing a burst of heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms,” MetService said.

A heavy rain watch issued by MetService for Northland and Auckland runs to 1pm Friday, while for Bay of Plenty east of Opotiki a heavy rain watch covers the nine hours from 11am to 8pm Friday.

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Shortly before 9am Friday, MetService tweeted that thunderstorms were moving onto Northland.

Northwest winds were expected to rise in the Hauraki Gulf to 55kph, gusting to 75kph late morning Friday, MetService said.

On Friday morning MetService lifted heavy rain watches covering Taranaki, the Tararua Range, Buller and Nelson Lakes.

It said heavy rain had eased in those areas, although some more heavy showers and possible thunderstorms were expected in Taranaki and the Tararua Range later in the morning.

The forecast for the whole of the North Island is for rain, with some heavy falls spreading from the west during the morning, then turning to scattered showers in the afternoon.

Marlborough and Canterbury are expected to have scattered showers on Friday, and some could possibly be heavy with thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.

Nelson, Buller, Westland and Fiordland were expected to start Friday with showers, some possibly heavy with a chance of thunderstorms, but conditions are forecast to improve during the day.

Isolated showers could possibly be heavy in the east of Otago and Southland on Friday afternoon.

A ridge of high pressure is expected to follow the cold front that is bringing Friday’s rain, with a fine Saturday forecast for nearly all the country.

On Sunday a few showers were possible in the west of the North Island south of Auckland, MetService said. In the South Island, rain was expected to develop in the west, and later about Southland and Otago.