Weather: Heavy rain, gales to throw fine weather out the window

Weather: Heavy rain, gales to throw fine weather out the window
Photo credit: Getty

It may have been a sunny start to spring for many across the weekend, but the fine weather isn't set to hang around for long.

Spring will start to "show its unsettled side" early this week, with a subtropical low set to arrive, according to Met Service meteorologist Tom Adams. 

The North Island will remain mostly sunny on Monday, with cloudy periods forecast for the West Coast of the South Island and drizzle expected in Fiordland. It will be mostly sunny in the east of the South Island, too, before the bad weather starts to arrive on Tuesday, according to WeatherWatch. 

Monday's outlook.
Monday's outlook. Photo credit: WeatherWatch

The low will bring heavy rain and northeasterly gales to the upper North Island on Tuesday and Wednesday.

That rain will then sink south over the rest of the country on Wednesday and Thursday, says Adams, bringing a "damp end of the week for most people."

Weather: Heavy rain, gales to throw fine weather out the window
Photo credit: WeatherWatch

"The tropical air pulled down by the low will at least mean warm temperatures, but by the end of the week the winds switch southerly, and we are likely to see another top-up of snow in the mountains."

Such unsettled weather is "completely normal" for spring, says Adams. 

Newshub.