Cold southerlies push northwards over the South Island on Saturday reaching the lower North Island in the afternoon. Anticyclonic conditions form over the South Island on Sunday, southeasterlies further north.

Showers for much of the upper North Island on Saturday, especially in the west. Rain from afternoon for Taranaki through to Wellington. Rain develops about Wairarapa around midday spreading further northwards in the evening with cold southerlies. Snow lowers to 400m at night about the lower North Island. Heavy morning rain for the South Island’s West Coast then easing and sun breaks through from afternoon. Rain about Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury (possibly heavy inland) then easing from late afternoon, snow lowers to 300 or possibly 200m by evening. Cloudy areas and the odd shower about Southland and Otago, cold southerlies with a few snow flurries possibly as low as 100m.

Areas of rain or showers for Auckland and Northland on Sunday with east to southeasterly winds, gusty offshore. Morning rain in the east then easing to showers by midday. Rain for the western North Island in the morning then clearing with afternoon sun breaking through, snow flurries about the lower North Island to 400m in the morning then lifting / clearing. The South Island is mainly dry, a few morning showers in the northeast however then clearing, perhaps lingering about coastal Marlborough through till evening. Snow flurries possible in the morning to low levels (100 to 200m) about North Canterbury then quickly clearing.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz