A front pushes over the North Island during Saturday in a southwesterly airflow, meanwhile another front moves onto the lower South Island in the morning before moving northwards although it weakens as it does. A northwesterly airflow strengthens over the South Island on Sunday with a front launching onto the lower South Island in the afternoon then moving northwards, this front reaches the lower North Island overnight.

Rain moves onto the western North Island during the morning on Saturday bringing a chance of heavy falls then eases during the afternoon and evening. Most other North Island regions see a few showers for a time, mainly afternoon / evening.

Brisk to strong westerlies for much of the South Island, rain or showers in the west and south. Some snow lowers to 500m for the mountains of Fiordland. Some snow to 500m for a time in Southland also. Showers only briefly affect Otago for a time around midday as a front passes over. Mainly sunny for Canterbury, Nelson and Marlborough. Just the chance of early morning rain for Nelson and Marlborough then clearing.

A few showers for western regions of the North Island on Sunday, showers move into Wellington during the afternoon then rain pushes in overnight. Mainly sunny out east although a shower or two may move into the Bay Of Plenty in the evening. Northwesterlies rise to gale force through Cook Strait later in the evening / overnight.

Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms push northwards along the West Coast of the South Island from afternoon. Rain or showers move into Southland and Otago late afternoon / evening with a gusty westerly change. A few spots of rain may reach Canterbury in the evening with heavy rain likely in the high country. Dry elsewhere along the east coast with high cloud and strengthening NW winds, possibly rising to gale force at times from afternoon especially inland.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz