Southwesterlies lie over New Zealand today moving around a large anticyclone in the Tasman Sea. This anticyclone pushes over the country on Friday.

Some cloud for the western North Island today, especially this morning. Mostly sunny conditions out east. Showers for the West Coast of the South Island ease during the day, becoming mainly dry in the evening. A few showers about Southland spread into Otago in the morning, clearing evening. Canterbury is mostly sunny, a few showers or drizzle patches spread into South Canterbury during the afternoon with southerlies, North Canterbury by evening. Marlborough and Nelson have a mainly sunny day, coastal Marlborough sees some evening cloud and late showers / drizzle.

Mostly sunny for the western North Island on Friday as the flow tends south to southeast, cloudier skies in the east with the odd light shower or drizzle patch. A mix of sun and cloud for most of the South Island, the east coast is fairly cloudy but sun starts to break through from afternoon.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz