(file picture) Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Severe weather watches have been issued for heavy rain and gales forecast to affect northern parts of the country from Wednesday.
MetService said the upper North Island could see rain reach warning levels and severe northeasterly gales on Wednesday and Thursday.
Large northeast swells could also bring hazardous conditions to exposed coasts.
Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, and Northland have a heavy rain watch in place, with the latter also having a strong wind watch.
The latest Severe Weather Outlook, valid from Tuesday 3rd to Friday 6th January, has been issued.
— MetService (@MetService) January 1, 2023
Note that the risk areas are for rain and wind exceeding warning thresholds. Other places will also get some rain.
More details at https://t.co/ePtVj8v6Kx ^SG pic.twitter.com/frsmboXpMl
MetService said the subtropical low was forecast to move slowly southwards to lie west of the North Island on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
In addition to the upper North Island, Bay of Plenty, northwest Tasman, Westland south of Otira, and Fiordland could see heavy rainfall later this week.
It was likely additional watches and/or warnings would be issued in the coming days, MetService said.
New year..... new weather pattern⁉️
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) December 31, 2022
You had to know that the holiday high pressure system wouldn't last forever!
This week, we'll see tropical moisture () & humidity return to our region.
Sorry if that's not your cup of tea! pic.twitter.com/5jhn9Vm8dR
