Cyclone Gabrielle tracking east to south east again

Te Whanganui-a-Tara - The centre of ex-tropical Cyclone Gabrielle has sat nearly stationary overnight close to, or over, Great Barrier Island.

Today this low centre starts to track ESE and we have some more very unsettled weather to go.

Heavy rain about Northland starts to back off from this afternoon. It stalled there long (and in parts of Auckland) increasing rainfall totals, slips and flooding.

Very heavy rain south of about Napier eases this afternoon however the rest of the day could see downpours and thunderstorms about the eastern North Island, WeatherWatch says.

More severe weather is likely around East Cape today as the centre of Gabrielle tracks in.

Very strong southerly winds tend more southwest as it progresses over the North Island and through Cook Strait winds will be strongest in the west with gales likely, severe gales about coastal areas, easing later today or overnight.

Some heavy rain for the northeastern corner of the South Island and finally about the ranges of Fiordland isolated showers develop this afternoon, some could be heavy with thunder.

The cyclone will impact Canterbury with heavy rain in parts of north Canterbury then into Wednesday rain moves southwards.

Rain may be heavy later on Wednesday about coastal parts then starting to clear from the south on Thursday. Rain is expected to push into south Canterbury and mid Canterbury northwards is where totals are higher.

Little River has the potential to flood in scenarios like this so keep an eye out there later on Wednesday and overnight. The Kaikoura area should be watched today also, a rain warning is out from Metservice for Kaikoura. And despite the figures below, rain falling in hills / ranges could be up to 50 percent higher.

A high pressure system moves over the South Island on Friday then the North Island on Saturday bringing an end to this week’s events.