A ridge lies over the South Island today while a southeasterly airflow lies over the North Island, strong in the far north. A ridge continues to live over the South Island on Friday meanwhile an occluded front sweeps down over the North Island from the northeast.

A mainly sunny day for the South Island today, some cloud builds about inland hills / ranges in the afternoon bringing the low risk of an isolated shower by evening. Light winds and afternoon sea breezes.

East to southeasterly winds for the North Island, strong about the far north and offshore to the northeast. Cloudy in the east with the odd light shower or drizzle patch, sunnier out west with high cloud gradually developing. Showers turning to rain about Northland in the afternoon, the odd heavy fall possible later in the evening / overnight. Showers or areas of rain may reach Auckland, Waikato and the Bay Of Plenty by dawn on Friday.

Another mainly sunny day for the South Island on Friday, some high cloud possible in the north and south of the Island. For the North Island skies are cloudier, rain sweeps over most of the upper North Island in the morning bringing the chance of a heavy fall, an area of heavier downpours possible Auckland northwards then easing back in the afternoon to patchy showers or drizzle. The lower North Island is mainly dry apart from some drizzle in the east, some rain moves through Taranaki and the Central North Island during the afternoon then easing in the evening.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz