A low pressure system passes over the South Island today, winds from the north ahead of this low tending to the south over the lower South Island. An anticyclone brings mainly settled weather for the South Island on Tuesday, a low brings southeasterlies for the North Island.

Cloudy areas and a shower or two for the upper and western North Island today, sunnier in the east with some high cloud. Heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island as a front pushes northwards, rain for the lower South Island today in the east meanwhile it’s drier further north. Some snow lowers to 500m about the mountains of the far south, perhaps as low as 300m later this evening.

A deep low spins up offshore to the northeast of the North Island later on Tuesday, this brings in a strengthening southeasterly airflow and the chance of some late heavy rain about some coastal fringes. Drier for most further south with only a few early morning showers about the South Island then clearing away. Fiordland sees a few showers for most of the day.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz