December 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019ve obviously had a brilliant weekend with the big ridge of high pressure over the country, but rapidly, there is a low in the southern Tasman, which is driving a frontal feature toward the country tonight into tomorrow morning,\u201d meteorologist Devlin Lynden said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe most significant risk of rain will be in the alpine headwaters, as well as the West Coast, and that will drive rising river levels, which may cause surface flooding for those west, low-lying areas. There certainly is risk there [of flooding].\u201d<\/p>\n
While the parts of the country in the firing line for the fiercest winds wasn\u2019t exceptional for those regions \u201cyou wouldn\u2019t want to be out and about, particularly in the ranges in weather like this\u201d.<\/p>\n
Lynden said gusts of up to 120km\/h are \u201calways going to be potentially destructive\u201d for foliage trees and powerlines. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s certainly the risk of strong gusts causing damage.\u201d<\/p>\n
A warning is in place for the Canterbury High Country for 18 hours from 9am on Monday, with severe gale northwesterlies of 120km\/h expected in exposed places.<\/p>\n
Metservice expects winds to ease from the south from Monday evening.<\/p>\n
Lynden said the rain would reach the North Island by Tuesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cCome midday there will start to be some rain for western areas of the North Island, such as Taranaki and Manawatu. Then by the evening, we\u2019re expecting more widespread showers for Auckland, right through central North Island areas. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere may be some heavier falls but it is quite a short period, so it\u2019s unlikely that there will be significant risk of large scale flooding or anything like that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t have any watches or warnings out for the North Island at this point, but there\u2019ll be something to watch for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n