Weather: Family makes do with camping in living room amid sub-tropical storm, more downpours expected for week

The bad weather blighting our summer will continue next week, with rain forecast for much of the country – including another deluge expected to hit the top of the North Island on Tuesday.

MetService meteorologist Jessie Owen said: “A brief reprieve in the severe weather will come towards the end of the weekend, but for those wondering when summer is returning, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer.”

Auckland should see scattered showers develop before turning possibly heavy this afternoon with a balmy temperature of 27C. While the city should remain in the mid-20s this week, the rain doesn’t look ready to let up.

The MetService issued a fresh heavy rain watch for Wairarapa and Wellington and a strong wind watch for Marlborough which are both in place until late Sunday evening.

Another sub-tropical low-pressure system is expected to barrel over the North Island with heavy rain, flooding and gales likely on Tuesday and Wednesday, Owen said.

The ASB Classic in the Super City was forced inside for some matches in the women’s schedule this week. Organisers will be bracing for more disruptions as the weather continues to bring uncertainty.

While inclement weather disrupted concertgoers and holidaymakers across the North Island, one Auckland family hasn’t let this week’s subtropical storm stop them from roughing it in their living room.

Karen Olson’s two girls, Neelam, 8, and Amaya, 4, were disappointed weather warnings from Civil Defence and MetService cut their camping trip in Northland short on Tuesday but were making the most of their holiday with a tent fort inside.

“They love camping, it was such a shame that we’d gone up to the Far North and only got two nights out of it. We were really torn and they were pretty gutted, but they did understand it might not have been safe to stay,” Olson said.

“It’s been lovely, we’re spending time together and getting some of the camping experience. The kids think they’re sleeping in it until next Tuesday to get the full week, and we’ll keep them in there so long as they actually get to sleep.”

And while the campfire was ditched in favour of the oven, Neelam and Amaya have been spending time playing boardgames by torchlight, safe from the wild weather that has lashed the top of the country, downing trees and closing roads as people head home for work.

The Coro Classic music festival in the Coromandel, however, was not deterred by the weather with confirmation on Friday that it would go ahead, unlike already cancelled Summer Haze Matakana and Juicy Fest.

Heavy showers continued to pelt down on the Coromandel on Saturday, with scattered downpours possible from around midday today. Thunderstorms are possible south of Tairua Harbour.

Apart from Auckland, the main centres are set for mainly cloudy days with the odd shower until Wednesday when heavy rain should set in.