A cold front clears off to the northeast of the North Island this morning leaving a cool west to southwesterly airflow over the country during the day. A trough then hits the lower South Island later this evening bringing even colder air and some very unsettled weather. This trough pushes onto the North Island on Tuesday morning bringing unsettled weather and strong cold southwesterly winds.

Morning rain eases to showers for the western North Island today, showers may be heavy at times with a risk of hail. Snow flurries lower to 500m from afternoon about the Central Plateau. Any morning spots of rain along the east coast clear then expect a mainly sunny afternoon.

Expect some rain or showers for the western South Island, drier and sunnier out east although a southwest flick moving through Canterbury this afternoon may bring a shower. Southland has showers all of today, possibly heavy with hail. Otago has the chance of a shower otherwise fairly dry. A strong southwest change pushes into Southland this evening then Otago overnight with rain, heavy with hail. Snow to 200m about the far south today.

Quite unsettled over the North Island on Tuesday as a trough pushes northwards bringing very cold temperatures, heavy rain for a time and some hail. Snow lowers to 400m about the Central Plateau. Showers about Canterbury (possibly heavy with hail and snow flurries to 300m) becoming quite coastal during the morning and clearing away from inland areas. The West Coast, Nelson and Marlborough sees morning showers clear then sunny areas increase. Showers about Southland and Otago may be heavy early in the morning with hail then easing, snow flurries to 200m at first then lifting during the day.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz