The worst of the rain has now eased as the broad low that has been affecting the country moves away to the east. However, a few showers are expected to linger in some places over the weekend. Cooler temperatures and frosty mornings are predicted for the next few days, but things will warm up again towards the end of the weekend ahead of another front.
The area of low pressure that brought significant rain and severe thunderstorms to parts of New Zealand this week is finally heading away to the east. Dunedin city received 175mm in the 24 hours to 4am this morning, with heavy rain falling continuously for 17 of those hours. The remaining showers over the country will gradually ease today, although a few showers will remain dotted about over the weekend, especially in the north and west of both islands.
Temperatures will be cooler over the next couple of days, with a southwesterly flow over the country bringing chilly air up from the Southern Ocean. Temperatures in many South Island places are forecast to fall below freezing over the next few nights, making for some frosty mornings.
Sunday heralds some warmer weather as the flow turns more westerly and a front starts to make its way up the South Island. This flow will bring the usual wet weather to the west, but the east will remain dry with temperatures possibly reaching the high teens in Hawke's Bay.
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