February 11, 2026<\/a><\/p>\nHeavy rain watches, with a chance of thunderstorms and localised downpours, have been issued for Northland, Auckland (including Great Barrier Island), Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato and Waitomo from noon to 10pm tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Heavy rain watches, again with a chance of thunderstorms and localised downpours, kick in for Bay of Plenty from Opotiki westwards, eastern hill-country of Taranaki, Taupo, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, Manawatu, Tararua District and Hawke\u2019s Bay from mid-afternoon tomorrow and continue to the early hours of Saturday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, muggy nights are on the way, but temperatures will soon plunge as heavy rain and severe gales sweep across the country.<\/p>\n
The wild weather change is set to come into force from today for Fiordland and Friday for much of New Zealand. <\/p>\n
MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley told the Herald a moist air mass pushing down on the country will bring sweaty overnight temperatures.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe overnight temperatures we\u2019re seeing are quite warm. Places like Auckland will be having a minimum of 20C [overnight Thursday and Friday],\u201d Pawley said.<\/p>\n
MetService earlier described the upcoming heat as \u201cuncomfortably hot\u201d.<\/p>\n
Pawley said once the front crosses over the country, there will be low pressure developing to the east of New Zealand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s going to be dragging some more southerly winds. So that\u2019ll be cooling the temperatures down into the weekend,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For example, Masterton is forecast to drop to a high of 18C on Sunday from Friday\u2019s sweaty high of 29C.<\/p>\n
\u2018Heavy rain and severe gales\u2019<\/p>\n
Pawley said a front is set to cross the South Island, causing rain to develop in Fiordland from tomorrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn Friday, that will push across the South Island as well, bringing a period of heavy rain and strong winds.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s essentially moving up the South Island at the same time as a trough over the northern Tasman Sea moves across the North Island,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pawley said once the Friday rain has crossed, a low developing up the east of the country will bring a risk of heavy rain, and severe gale southerlies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s still a lot of uncertainty there with the position of that, and that will dictate which areas feel those impacts the most,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
At this stage, the eastern parts of the North Island are forecast to be hit the worst. <\/p>\n
Pawley said MetService has a moderate confidence that the rain and wind will reach warning criteria for some eastern parts of the North Island.<\/p>\n
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