An anticyclone began to slip away east of the country today but a ridge of high pressure held its grip which meant a mostly dry Wednesday.
An approaching frontal system inched its way towards the mainland however with some cloud building and a little dampness in the far southwest corner, ahead of more substantial rain in western and southern areas tomorrow.

Temperatures tonight are expected to be a little above average for mid April and the wind is expected to increase in the south which should result in substantial rain in Westland and Fiordland.

Tomorrow should remain mostly dry over the North Island with northerlies freshning in the lower half, but rain is likely to creep along most western and southern regions of the South Island, with that northerly becoming strong and gusty at times. East of the alps should be dry with thickening high cloud, which will probably thwart quite a bit of sunshine.

The high today was 25 in Hamner Springs and the low was 13 in Alexandra.

Kaitaia : 23
Whangarei : 21
Auckland : 22
Tauranga : 21
Hamilton : 22
Whakatane : 21
Rotorua : 19
Tokoroa : 22
Taupo : 20
Gisborne : 21
New Plymouth : 21
Napier : 22
Hastings : 19
Wanganui : 24
Palmerston North : 22
Levin : 20
Kapiti : 21
Masterton : 22
Wellington : 20
Nelson : 19
Blenheim : 22
Westport : 18
Greymouth : 18
Hokitika : 18
Christchurch : 16
Timaru : 17
Oamaru : 17
Alexandra : 13
Queenstown : 21
Dunedin : 17
Invercargill : 19

Bay of Islands : 21
Murchison : 18
Kaikoura : 16
Culverden : 23
Ashburton : 19
Darfield : 18
Lyttelton : 16
Hanmer Springs : 25
Milford Sound : 19
Haast : 17
Gore : 16
Dunedin Airport : 20
Manapouri : 21
Lake Rotoiti : 19
Molesworth : 20