A moderate southwesterly airflow lies over the country today, tilting more west to northwest on Friday and gradually strengthening. A cold front hits the lower South Island overnight Friday.

Cloudy areas and the odd shower for the western North Island today, the Bay Of Plenty and perhaps Waikato has a mainly sunny morning then cloud increases. Dry with some sun about Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, a shower or two may move in by late afternoon. Mostly sunny about South Westland after morning high cloud clears, a shower or two likely north of about Greymouth during the day. Cloudy areas for Nelson, perhaps a shower or two also. Canterbury sees any morning cloud break to sunny areas, the odd shower on Banks Peninsula clears in the evening. Cloudy areas about Southland with a shower or two, morning cloud then afternoon sunny spells for Otago.

Some cloud for the western North Island again on Friday, risk of a shower for Northland and Auckland. Mainly sunny for eastern regions. The West Coast of the South Island is fairly cloudy with a few showers, rain moves into South Westland during the afternoon then becomes heavy. Warm and dry in the east with developing high cloud.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz