A series of cold fronts moves over New Zealand today bringing wet weather to most regions for a time. A northwesterly airflow lies over the country on Tuesday, a cold front pushes onto the lower South Island during the morning then slowly moving northwards reaching the lower North Island overnight.

Patchy rain or showers for most of the upper / western North Island today, easing this evening and clearing overnight. Plenty of high cloud in the east, rain spreads from the west at times afternoon onwards then clearing this evening. Heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island this morning then easing to showers. Early rain clears about Southland / Otago then showers ramp up towards midday, some becoming heavy with possible thunderstorms and hail (mainly Otago Peninsula northwards). Canterbury has a dry start then showers develop around midday, some with possible thunderstorms and hail then clearing by evening. Rain spreads into Nelson this morning then clearing afternoon, rain may briefly spread into Marlborough for a time.

A mix of sun and cloud for the western North Island on Tuesday, high cloud out east. A light shower or two may affect Kapiti, rain moves into the southwestern North Island overnight. Heavy rain about South Westland spreads into North Westland during the afternoon, easing later in the evening, thunderstorms are possible about South Westland in the morning. Dry to start in the morning about Southland and Otago, showers develop in the afternoon possibly heavy with thunderstorms for coastal Otago. Canterbury and Marlborough have a mainly sunny day with some high cloud.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz