Lovely weather for the weekend... Not!

The MetService is forcasting more bad weather for the weekend, with a Severe Weather Watch for rain & southerly gales for Saturday, covering much of the lower North Island. Blech! I need to mow my lawns at some point, and this weather isn't helping!

RAIN WITH HEAVY FALLS AND SOUTHERLY GALES FOR THE LOWER NORTH ISLAND AND NORTHERN MARLBOROUGH ON SATURDAY

A large low pressure system is expected to remain slow moving across the upper North Island today, then move over the lower North Island on Saturday and deepen. The low is forecast to bring a period of heavy rain to northern and eastern areas from Auckland to Marlborough during today and Saturday, and a Heavy Rain Warning is in force with respect to this.

There is also the potential on Saturday for a period of significant heavy rain in areas of the lower North Island not included in the warning, specifically the southwest of the North Island from Taranaki across to the central high country and down to Wellington. There is uncertainty about which areas will receive the heaviest rain and whether it will reach warning amounts.

For Wellington and also Marlborough from the Kaikoura Coast to the Sounds, there is also the risk that southerly gales on Saturday may reach severe gale for a time in exposed places.

People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any of the areas in the watch need to be included in the warning.

This Watch will be reviewed by 9pm Friday 25 June 2010
Forecast prepared by: Gerard Barrow

EDIT: The watch has been upgraded to a warning for the eastern hills of Wellington - with 50-90mm falling through to Saturday afternoon.