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• Heavy rain is set to hit with potential for heavy falls from Saturday.
• MetService advises Northland and Auckland residents to stay updated on forecasts due to weather uncertainty.
• The South Island is expected to have settled weather, with sunny afternoons in Christchurch.

While holidaymakers gear up for another long weekend, a bout of heavy rain is set to lash Northland and Auckland for the second successive weekend.

MetService said most of the country is in for a dry but cool Anzac Day, with forecasts looking more favourable for outdoor activities around the South Island.

But within a day, things are set to take a turn for the worse.

The wet weather on the way is linked to an area of warm, humid air, so the potential for heavy falls will accompany the rain.

MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said an area of concern this weekend was the top of the country, which might be in for its second wet weekend in a row.

Severe flooding on Sandringham Rd in Auckland. Photo / Hayden Woodward

Last week, ex-tropical Cyclone Tam brought intense downpours and thunderstorms to the North Island that caused devastating flooding and left thousands in the dark during widespread power outages.

“There is a lot of uncertainty around this weather system and how much rain it may bring, so it’s advised to keep up with the latest forecasts,” Ferris said.

He told the Herald the various models were showing a wide spread of forecasts, which made it difficult to assess how severe the rain would be.

While holidaymakers gear up for another long weekend, a new dose of heavy rain is set to lash Northland and Auckland. Photo / ob�����ӿ�

Ferris said there was “definitely potential for heavy rain in the mix”.

It was too far in advance to issue any warnings or watches, he said.

MetService said that through tomorrow, the risk of rain drifted southward and by midday on Saturday, rain looked likely for areas north of Taupō.

What is on the cards for your Anzac Day commemoration plans?

MetService said cloudier skies and spells of rain are expected for Northland on Anzac Day, but temperatures for the dawn service are likely to hold around the mid-teens.

“Working our way down the country, hugging the eastern coast of the North Island is where a risk of passing showers exist for dawn services, so bring a raincoat.

“Moving away from those areas, it will be chilly temperatures that people need to prepare for, with 2C forecast for Taupō, Masterton and Alexandra,” MetService said.

Niwa said dry weather is expected nearly everywhere, with just a couple of showers in the Far North and West Coast on Friday.

“Dress warm! Chilly temperatures in the single numbers will be common,” Niwa said.

At this stage, no severe weather watches or warnings are in place for the long weekend.

South Island weather - most settled in NZ

MetService said that generally, the South Island is where the weather is most settled this long weekend.

After a run of quite gloomy days in Christchurch, where the MetService airport station detected only 7.8 hours of sunshine over 10 days (between Monday, April 14 and Wednesday, April 23), people can look forward to a few sunny afternoons for the long weekend.

MetService said temperatures in Christchurch are expected to climb into the 20s on Sunday.

Some showers would be sprinkled down the West Coast, perhaps a little more widespread on Sunday.

“People heading out into the hills around Nelson and Tasman will need to keep an eye on the forecast as there’s the possibility of rain setting in on Saturday,” Lewis said.

“While some areas will need to keep the raincoats on hand, many parts of the country can look forward to some moments of sunshine. Make sure to keep up with the latest MetService forecast over the long weekend.”