By 3 News online staff
Torrential rain is forecast for the West Coast today with downpours also expected across the North Island.
Up to 400mm of rain is expected to fall in Westland today and tomorrow morning, with 450mm forecast for the Westland Ranges, according to WeatherWatch.co.nz.
Temperatures in the region are expected to average 10degC today.
Westland has already faced two floods this year and the coming rains could cause more problems for the area.
“The West Coast is used to torrential rain but again these amounts will put significant pressure on some waterways," says WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan.
Mr Duncan says the rain will be heavy and slow moving.
“The air that's helping fuel this rain is coming out of the sub-tropics, it's rich with moisture and we have a large high that refuses to let go of the North Island, so the rain clouds can't clear the country,” he says. “Instead, like a car stuck behind a slow truck going up a hill, the rain will only inch slowly northwards this weekend as the high slowly moves on.”
And that slow movement means the lower half of the North Island, from Taranaki to Wellington, will face heavy rains on Sunday.
Up to 150mm is expected to fall before the rain eases on Monday morning.
The Waikato and Auckland may also get some heavy showers on Sunday night.
A new high is forecast to move in from the Tasman and cross the North Island and central New Zealand around Tuesday and Wednesday of next week, bringing a return to sunnier, drier and calmer weather.
3 News