Time to bring out the brolly – heavy rain and blustery winds are in store for the upper North Island ahead of the weekend.
On Friday, a fast-moving rainband will cross the upper North Island, bringing a burst of heavy rain, with the risk of thunderstorms and strong winds gusting 80km/h, according to MetService.
Heavy rain watches have been issued for Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula from midnight tonight to 9am tomorrow, and for Bay of Plenty ranges east of the Ōtara River from 3am to 6pm.
A strong wind watch was in place for Northland from 2am to 9am tomorrow.
"With the heavy rain before dawn, Auckland commuters should take it easy and look out for surface water on the roads. Even after the early morning rain, thunderstorms with strong winds are possible over the upper North Island from mid-morning into the afternoon, so take extra care," MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said.
A line of showers will also push northwards up the South Island on Friday, with possible thunderstorms and hail for southern Canterbury Plains.
The big wet will turn into a blustery start to the weekend, as a brisk west to southwest wind sets in, especially for coastal parts of Southland and the Canterbury High Country, MetService said.
Large waves are also expected this weekend due to the strong winds, arriving first in the west but also affecting eastern coasts.
The next band of rain will move up the west coast of the South Island on Saturday morning, followed by the North Island in the afternoon.
There will be a local advantage in Wellington as the winds ramp up in time for the 7.05pm kick-off when the All Blacks face South Africa.
"As a Wellington local, my advice is simple: wear a hat with a chinstrap, skip the umbrella, and don’t waste time blow-drying or styling your mullet," he said.
The wind and showers will begin to ease from Sunday, but it could linger in Dunedin in time for the marathon, so supporters should pack a rain jacket, Pawley added.
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