For over a week a low near Northland has brought heavy showers, a few thunderstorms and rain to much of the upper North Island, but on Tuesday it will finally move out to sea.  The low, originally from the Tasman Sea, brought torrential downpours Monday night to Whitianga and Whangarei.   Meanwhile cold southerlies are still keeping temperatures down in the South Island and right up New Zealand’s east coast as the Autumnal weather pattern continues. 

Philip Duncan, Head Weather Analyst at the Weather Watch Centre, says conditions should improve everywhere for the remaining four weekdays.  “The low will move out to the east meaning clearing skies in the North and an easing of those cold south easterly winds.  The South Island will also feel slightly warmer as those winds back off but with the air now colder highs in places like Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch will still struggle to get above 10 degrees.  This really is more like Winter for them”.

Duncan says weather for Queen’s Birthday weekend is looking promising in the North Island’s traditional tourist spots but not so great in the South.  “We’ll have a detailed Queen’s Birthday Weekend forecast on Wednesday, but at this stage the North Island looks mainly dry with maybe some showers on Sunday, while windier, showery conditions are possible for the South”.