‘Heavy and thundery’ rain for many ahead of afternoon commute

Wet weather is set to plague parts of Aotearoa ahead of the afternoon commute, as a front moves up the country bringing rain to many regions, MetService warns.

A rain band started to move across Auckland shortly before 2.30pm, turning the sky dusk-like dark.

MetService issued an alert on Monday afternoon saying the band of rain would strike Auckland and New Plymouth at around 3pm.

“Heads up Auckland and New Plymouth, the band of rain is fast approaching! It should be over you in the next hour,” the forecaster said on Twitter.

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A Tweet by National Institute of Water and Atmospheric (Niwa) said, “Well, it was a nice day in Auckland. Key word: was.”

A front is approaching from the southwest bringing showers to the west coast of the South Island, and affecting areas such as Westport whose residents had woken up to downpours, Amy Rossiter​ MetService metrologist says.

“As the front moves across the country, we’re expecting showers from the afternoon and there is also a possible thunderstorm risk during the afternoon and evening.”

Showers are forecast to persist throughout the day for Northland and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne following a week of heavy rain and thunderstorms, Rossiter said.

Residents in Gisborne were told to evacuate last week due to rising river levels as heavy rain and thunderstorms battered parts of the east coast.

Rossiter said the ground in those regions had been “saturated” with over 250 millimetres of rain recorded in the last week.

Meanwhile, Aucklanders woke up to a “reasonably fine” morning with temperatures expected to reach a high of 17C.

Showers are forecast from the afternoon with the possibility they could become “heavy and thundery” and isolated on Monday evening. Northerly wind is forecast from about midday.

At 2pm, MetService issued an update that a rain band was fast approaching Auckland and New Plymouth within an hour.

Wellington, similar to Auckland, is starting off with fine weather with some cloud increasing then rain in the afternoon and evening.

Those in the Waikato District should expect “a few” showers from midday, turning to “possibly heavy and thundery” rain in the afternoon and evening. Light winds are also forecast with temperatures expected to reach a high of 16C.

For those in the south, a heavy rain warning is in place for the western rangers until 10pm with Franz Josef and the ranges forecast to have between 110 and 140 mm of rain.

Those in Christchurch and Dunedin could expect “fine spells” around midday with fresh north easterlies, easing in the evening. Both regions are forecast to reach a high of 14C.

Winter holiday-makers in Queenstown are in for a treat with fine weather forecast throughout the day except for some cloudy periods.