A large anticyclone lies to the north of New Zealand today meanwhile a strong northwesterly airflow sits over the country. A front straddles the far south of the South Island. Strong northwesterlies continue on Tuesday, a cold front pushes northwards over the South Island reaching the western North Island in the evening.

Morning cloud for the western North Island breaks to mostly sunny weather and some high cloud, out east conditions are mostly sunny with some high cloud. Temperatures are quite hot. Cloudy for the South Islands West Coast with rain or showers, heavy about Fiordland. Rain about Southland and Otago south of Otago Peninsula, rain may be heavy at times for Southland especially in the west. Canterbury up through to Nelson in the east is dry and hot with high cloud.

Sunny areas and some high cloud for the North Island on Tuesday, cloud a little more persistent during the day about Taranaki and Kapiti with the chance of a drizzle patch. Showers move onto the southwestern North Island in the evening. Rain for the west and south of the South Island is heavy in areas, especially on the West Coast, rain pushes northwards into Canterbury during the day. Rain eases for the South Island overnight.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz