A front passes over New Zealand today moving in a west to east fashion, blustery northerlies ahead of the front then changing westerly in behind. A large anticyclone lies in the Tasman Sea on Tuesday directing a southwesterly airflow over New Zealand.

Showers turning to rain for the western North Island this afternoon as a front moves in from the west, rain may be heavy for a time. High cloud and a few spots of rain possible out east, more persistent rain moves into Wairarapa this afternoon then moves northwards this evening. Morning heavy rain for Nelson / Marlborough clears then becoming mostly sunny by midday. Rain or showers for most of today along the West Coast and about Southland, any early spots of rain clear Otago and Canterbury then becoming mostly sunny.

Southerlies bring cloud and the odd shower for eastern New Zealand on Tuesday, sunnier conditions out west with only a few clouds now and then for the western North Island.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz