Northwesterlies strengthen on Thursday with a cold front pushing onto the lower South Island in the evening.

Sunny spells for the western North Island on Thursday, Taranaki southwards sees slightly cloudier skies and the chance of a shower or two. Along the east coast and for the Bay Of Plenty expect sunny areas and some high cloud.

Some high cloud for the eastern South Island, cloudy in the west with showers. Rain about Fiordland from afternoon with a chance of heavy falls, possible thunderstorms from later in the evening / overnight. Northwesterlies about inland parts of the South Island may gust to gale force later in the evening or overnight.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz