The main feature to watch tonight will be a front moving onto the North Island around midnight with strong northwesterly winds ahead of it and strong westerlies behind it. Watch for a period of heavy rain and squally winds of course.

Auckland & Northland
Cloudy with the odd shower and strengthening northwesterly winds, expect a period of heavy rain later this evening or around midnight with winds changing strong westerly, there may be a rumble of thunder also. Rain eases to showers overnight, possibly still heavy now and then with a risk of hail.
Tonight’s low: 12

Bay Of Plenty, Waikato & Central North Island
Cloudy with the odd shower, northwesterly winds increasing this evening. Around midnight winds change strong westerly with rain then easing to showers overnight.
Tonight’s lows: 7-11

Eastern North Island
Rain moving into the Wairarapa this evening with east to northeast winds, high cloud further north with northerly winds and the chance of a shower. A period of rain spreads from the west for all areas later this evening or around midnight preceded by strong northwesterly winds. Rain then eases in all areas overnight as winds tend southwest.
Tonight’s lows: 9-10

Western North Island
Periods of rain with northwesterlies, winds change strong westerly overnight with rain easing to heavy showers with a risk of hail.
Tonight’s lows: 9-11

Wellington
Rain, heavy for a time this evening with northrlies changing southerly around midnight. Rain eases to showers overnight.
Tonight’s low: 8

Marlborough & Nelson
Rain, possibly heavy. Light northeasterlies change southwest overnight.
Tonight’s lows: 6-8

Canterbury
Cloudy areas, chance of a shower this evening especially about South Canterbury and also North Canterbury then clearing later. Light winds tend easterly then change southwest around midnight.
Tonight’s low: 4

West Coast
Cloudy with showers, southwesterly breezes.
Tonight’s lows: 6-7

Coastal Otago
Showers, possibly heavy then easing later and clearing overnight. Light easterlies tend southwest later this evening.
Tonight’s low: 5

Central Otago
A few showers clearing later this evening, south to southwesterly winds ease overnight and skies clearing up.
Tonight’s low: 1-2

Southland
Showers this evening, possibly heavy then easing later becoming quite coastal. Brisk west to southwest winds ease during the night.
Tonight’s low: 4

Homepage image / Zelda Wynn

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz