A strong northwesterly airflow lies over New Zealand on Thursday, a cold change moves onto the lower South Island in the morning reaching the upper South Island in the evening and stalling for a time. This front very slowly continues northwards over the North Island on Friday.

Cloudy areas for the western North Island on Thursday bring a shower or two, Auckland and Northland are mainly dry but there is the risk of an isolated shower late afternoon / evening. Dry along the east coast with some high cloud and warm temperatures. Heavy rain for the West Coast of the South Island, possibly becoming torrential for a time then easing in the evening. Mainly dry in the east with high cloud and strong northwesterly winds, mainly for the upper South Island. A cold front bringing rain moves onto the lower South Island early morning then slowly moving northwards reaching Banks Peninsula in the evening.

Cloudy areas for the western North Island once again on Friday, risk of a shower or two about then later in the evening / overnight a band of rain moves over. Mainly dry in the east, rain moves into the Wairarapa in the afternoon then pushing northwards overnight. Heavy rain eases for the upper South Island in the west fairly quickly during the morning, taking a bit longer to ease further east. Fast changing conditions means the risk of heavy snow above 600m could well change and at this stage it’s looking to be higher yet again, a full update on conditions will be given in the morning tomorrow.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz