A country of two halves

14th January 2019

A rain band that moved over the North Island today brought much needed rain to many dry gardens and farms. The rain band dropped about 15mm of rain in areas from Wairarapa to Auckland as it travelled up the country. The Wellington region recorded 10-25mm with some surface flooding reported.

Showers are the order of the day for many places in the North Island on Monday, while the wet weather will become confined to the east of the South Island as a weak ridge starts to build in the lower half of the country.

“Our weather for the first half of the week is determined by a low to the east of the North Island which pushes cloud and showers onto eastern areas, with Hawkes Bay and Gisborne expecting to see some heavy falls and possible thunderstorms,” comments MetService meteorologist Mark Bowe. “The North Island is also the focus for some potential thunderstorm activity which could bring local heavy falls. More information about the areas affected can be found on the Thunderstorm Outlook at MetService.com.”

It is a rather different story for the South Island, with the ridge firmly taking hold and leaving many areas fine and dry. “It will be a country of two halves on Tuesday with the ridge over the South Island keeping the wet weather confined to the North Island,” says Bowe.

Fine breaks and dry weather continue for South Islanders on Wednesday, and conditions over the North Island begin to ease with the only shower activity confined to the eastern coast by Wednesday evening.

Thursday will see a weak front move onto the lower South Island bringing some periods of rain. The low to the northeast of the North Island moves away on Thursday, leaving one or two showers over the central and eastern parts of the North Island as it departs.

On Friday a southwest flow blankets the country with the chance of a shower or two to finish off the week.

Warnings are about taking action:

• When severe weather is imminent or is occurring

• Issued only when required

• Recommendation: ACT

Watches are about being alert:

• When severe weather is possible but not sufficiently imminent or certain for a Warning to be issued

• Issued only when required

• Recommendation: BE READY

Outlooks are about looking ahead:

• To provide advance information on possible future Watches and/or Warnings

• Issued routinely once or twice a day

• Recommendation: PLAN

ends

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