After several days of bitterly cold temperatures and widespread frosts, New Zealand is set for a shift in weather as a rain-bearing front moves north across the South Island, bringing heavy rain to several regions over the weekend.
According to a report by Stuff, a 36-hour rain watch has been issued for Buller, including the Paparoa Range and Kahurangi National Park, from 9pm on Friday until 9am on Sunday. According to MetService, the region is expected to experience periods of heavy rain, with a moderate chance that the watch could be upgraded to a warning.
MetService meteorologist Ethan Walton-Jones said the severe frosts experienced earlier in the week are beginning to ease.
"There may be some frosts on Friday night but they’ll be nowhere near as widespread as the winds take a northerly turn with the front," he said, Stuff has quoted.
While temperatures in some inland areas are expected to fall to around -2C on Friday evening, Walton-Jones said most other parts of the country will remain above freezing.
Cloud cover is forecast to increase across Northland, Taranaki, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Taupō and Taumarunui on Saturday, with isolated showers developing along the west coast, as reported by Stuff.
Further south, Whanganui and areas from Taihape to Wellington are also expected to see isolated showers on Saturday, with wet weather likely to begin around Manawatū from Friday night.
The western South Island, including Westland and Fiordland, is forecast to receive periods of rain, with possible thunderstorms. Conditions are expected to briefly improve in parts of Westland on Saturday morning before rain returns, Stuff has reported.
In Nelson and Marlborough, occasional rain is expected to become more persistent during Saturday, with some heavy falls possible.
Meanwhile, Canterbury, Otago and Southland are likely to see increasing cloud through the weekend, with rain expected to develop by Saturday evening, as reported by Stuff.
Looking ahead to Sunday, MetService forecasts heavy rain for parts of the North Island, although conditions are expected to gradually clear from the west during the afternoon.
Heavy rain is also expected to continue across parts of the South Island, before easing over Nelson, Marlborough and Fiordland later on Sunday.
According to a report by Stuff, weekend temperatures are expected to remain cool across the country, with forecast highs of 15C to 16C in Auckland and Gisborne, 15C in New Plymouth, 13C in Wellington, 15C to 16C in Blenheim, 12C in Christchurch, and 12C dropping to 10C in Dunedin.