A front pushes northwards and weakens over the South Island today meanwhile the North Island is under a ridge of high pressure. A front does bring some rain to the western North Island from evening, this rain moves onto the upper South Island overnight and becomes heavy. What will be Ex Tropical Cyclone Gita approaches fast on Tuesday with its centre moving over the upper South Island overnight.

A shower or two possible across western parts of the North Island today, mainly from afternoon south of Auckland then turning to rain for a time this evening. Rain about Fiordland eases this morning, rain or showers elsewhere for the West Coast of the South Island and about Southland / Otago eases also. Heavy rain moves onto Nelson and Marlborough overnight.

What will be Ex Tropical Cyclone Gita moves over the upper South Island later in the evening on Tuesday. With this very tightly packed and deep low comes very strong winds and very heavy rain for central parts of the country. The heaviest rain looks to be for the east of the South Island Canterbury northwards and especially about Nelson and Marlborough then easing overnight. Conditions in terms of wind and rain ramps up from afternoon as the low moves in, evening will see the most intense period with this low then easing overnight.

Just a note that very heavy snow is looking likely above 1000m in South and Mid Canterbury afternoon onwards on Tuesday, for northern North Canterbury this level will be above 1400m.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz