A low pressure system south of New Zealand flicks a cold front and associated cold air over New Zealand today. Southwesterlies lies over the country on Saturday, a front moves onto the lower South Island late afternoon / evening, reaching the upper South Island overnight.

Showers for the western North Island today, picking up in intensity from afternoon, blustery west to southwesterly winds. The east coast is mainly dry with some high cloud, in the afternoon a few spots of rain may spread from the west. Wellington has a dry morning, afternoon showers then dry again evening, strong to gale WNW winds. Rain with heavy falls and possible thunderstorms / hail along the West Coast, easing in the evening. Snow in the ranges to 500m. Nelson sees showers at times from midday, Marlborough is mostly sunny, blustery westerlies. Sunny areas for Canterbury with northwesterly winds, tending southwest in the evening near the coast, the odd shower possible about Banks Peninsula then overnight showers pick up for coastal areas. Showers or spots of rain about the far south turning to rain in the afternoon as northwesterlies change strong to gale southwest. Rain may be heavy then easing overnight, snow to 400m.

Showers for most of the day along the western side of the North Island on Saturday, the east coast is mostly sunny however there could be a morning shower which clears away. Showers about Fiordland spread northwards during the afternoon, turning to rain by evening and becoming heavy. The east coast has a mostly sunny day with developing high cloud, a few early showers about Banks Peninsula northwards along the coast to Marlborough then clearing. Late afternoon rain moves into Southland, spreading into Otago in the evening. Snow lowers about the far south to 300m overnight.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz