Revellers at last year's Rhythm and Vines event. Photo: Kaelin Wade
A bout of bad weather is about to sweep across the east of the North Island, ahead of New Year celebrations.
Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne could get off to a damp start, with an orange heavy rain warning issued by MetService for 18 hours from 6am on Monday morning through to Tuesday.
Heavy rain is also forecast for the Coromandel Peninsula early Monday morning.
And Hawke's Bay is also in line for a dousing, with heavy rain forecast for almost 24 hours starting at 10am.
Meanwhile, an orange strong wind warning is in place for Manawatū and Horowhenua and the Kāpiti Coast from 5pm Monday.
Severe easterly winds could gust to 120km/h in exposed places.
A strong wind watch was also in place for Nelson, Buller, the Grey District and northern Westland, with up to gale-force winds in exposed places on Monday morning.
As for Tuesday, MetService said there was high confidence "severe southeast gales will affect Taranaki, Manawatu, Kapiti, Wellington, the Marlborough Sounds and Golden Bay".
"There is moderate confidence that severe southeast gales will affect the ranges of Marlborough, the remainder of Nelson, Buller, Grey and northern and central Westland."
New Year's Eve (Wednesday) would see a low to the west of New Zealand directing "a most northerly flow onto western areas", with large amounts of rain possible in Taranaki and Nelson.
Things will improve on New Year's Day.
"Remnants of the low are expected to cross the South Island during the day bringing periods of rain and showers to western and northern parts of New Zealand.There is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will accumulate in northwest Nelson and Buller."
From 2 January, there was "minimal" risk of severe weather despite a "showery southwesterly flow".
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