Weekend weather warnings — it'll be wet or windy for many

Parts of the South Island's West Coast are in an Orange weather warning this morning, with heavy rain and strong winds predicted.

Elsewhere, there are warnings of high winds while showers are expected to develop intermittently into rain for parts of the country, including Auckland.

Buller District, Westland District and Arthur's Pass can all expect heavy rain, into Friday evening, MetService has said.

Streams and rivers may rise rapidly, and surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions are possible.

MetService has said an upgrade to a Red warning level for these areas was considered "low" to "minimal".

Grey District and Tasman, northwest of Motueka are both under a heavy rain watch, with MetService nothing both areas "may approach warning criteria."

Grey District had a "moderate" chance of upgrading to a warning and rains were expected to ease around 7pm this evening. Tasman, which had a "high chance" of an upgrade, should expect rain to ease around 11pm this evening.

Richmond and Bryant ranges, including the Rai Valley was also under a heavy rain watch, with "amounts [that] may approach warning criteria."

"[There is a] moderate chance of upgrading to a warning," MetService said.

Later today, Mt Taranaki/Taranaki Mounga and the Tararua Ranges can both expect to see heavy rain from 6pm, which can be expected to ease around 8am Saturday morning. Both areas have a "moderate" chance of being upgraded to a warning.

Canterbury High Country is under a strong wind watch with the potential for northwesterly winds possibly approaching "severe gale" intensity in "exposed places". These winds are expected to ease on Friday morning, with MetService saying the watch is due to end at 5pm this afternoon.

Fiordland, Southland west of Lumsden, and the Queenstown Lakes District was under a strong wind watch, which should have eased late last night.

Wellington, in the country's North Island, is also under a strong wind watch, expected to start at midday today and lasting until the early hours of tomorrow morning. MetService said there is a "moderate" chance of this watch being upgraded to a warning.

Onwards to Saturday, "a front is expected to move northeast over the North Island and weaken," MetService said. A westerly flow covers the South Island "with a front moving onto Fiordland late in the day."

As for the country's most populous city, Auckland can expect some showers this afternoon, developing into heavier rain this evening, which is expected to last until Saturday.