A front moves off to the northeast of the North Island on Friday meanwhile a low pressure system moves over the South Island ushering in a cold south to southwest airflow later in the day. Cold south to southwest winds lies over the South Island on Saturday, winds more westerly further north.

Heavy rain with possible thunderstorms today for the western North Island eases around midday then expect showers and sunny spells, later in the evening or overnight a burst of heavy showers with further possible thunderstorms moves into western regions. Rain for the east coast spreads from the west, gradually clearing up in the afternoon. Areas of rain or showers for the West Coast of the South Island, rain may get heavy for North Westland in the evening bringing a chance of thunderstorms. A few showers about Southland and Otago, becoming more organised from afternoon then spreading into Canterbury and Marlborough during the evening and overnight.

Showers, some possibly heavy with a risk of small hail and thunder for the western North Island on Saturday. Snow flurries affect higher parts of the Central Plateau / Desert Road. Expect strong southerlies in the east from Canterbury through to Wellington, heavy rain about Canterbury in the morning then easing to showers. The odd shower and risk of small hail from Southland up through to Canterbury, showers about North Westland / Buller clear in the afternoon.

Snow flurries lower to 500 or possibly 400m about the lower South Island later on Friday, getting to 800m in the ranges for Canterbury at night. Flurries getting down to 300m about the lower South Island for a time on Saturday, 500m in Canterbury, 800m about the Central Plateau.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz