A ridge of high pressure lies over the South Island on Thursday, southeasterlies for the North Island.

Showers or some rain at times for the eastern North Island on Thursday, sunnier conditions out west although there may be some cloud at times especially for Northland. Morning showers about the Manawatu clear.

Expect a few showers about Marlborough and perhaps in the morning for Nelson, mostly cloudy down through to about Banks Peninsula in the east. Morning cloud south of Banks Peninsula breaks then expect sunny areas and some high cloud. Mostly sunny conditions for the West Coast with some high cloud.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz