New Zealand's had a wild week of weather - so where can you avoid more rain this weekend?
The best places to be this weekend weather-wise, according to a NIWA forecaster, are Hawke's Bay in the North Island or Otago and Southland in the South Island.
"This weekend there could be some downpours and thunderstorms," NIWA's Chris Brandolino told The AM Show on Friday. "Sunday could be an interesting day weather-wise for the upper North Island."
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Nevertheless, New Zealand is set to enjoy "warmer than average weather" this weekend. It will spread back into the North Island for the first time in five days on Friday, thanks to air flows from the Tasman Sea, Weather Watch said on Thursday.
It comes as forecasters say an abnormal El Niño weather event is looking likely for New Zealand over summer. NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said there was now an 80 percent chance it will happen.
But while it's expected to warm up across the country, Weather Watch has warned of thunderstorms "highly likely" through the interior of both main islands this weekend. Not to mention the threat of a dust storm heading across the Tasman from Australia.
Parts of New South Wales were hit by a dramatic dust storm that stretched 500km on Thursday, including covering Sydney in a light powder, and it's expected to make it way to New Zealand.
"It's actually the peak time of the year for dust storms in Australia - late spring, early summer before the monsoon wet season kicks in across the far north," Mr Brandolino told The AM Show.
But he said New Zealand probably doesn't have anything to worry about.
"Generally speaking, I think we'll see little or no impact," he said. "The dust will move across the Tasman and it'll probably get here Sunday evening, and if the skies clear in time, there could be a really colourful sunset."
The reason that dust is heading towards New Zealand is because of a low pressure and that's causing wind which is "stirring things up" and pushing the dust down, Mr Brandolino explained.
"It reduces visibility and can have a huge impact on transportation including air travel," he said of the dangers of dust storms in Australia.
"Think of volcanic ash and how disruptive it is for air travel. If you get enough dust in the air, that's going to disrupt anything that requires good visibility."
New Zealand's weather has been unsettled across the country for much of mid-November. On Tuesday, a heavy hailstorm shocked Aucklanders, while parts of the South Island have been blanketed in unseasonal snow.
MetService says there will be more rain in a number of areas in the country this weekend and early next week.
Newshub.
