A cold front moves northwards over the North Island today weakening as it goes, a cold southwest airflow lies over the South Island. An anticyclone moves over most of New Zealand on Wednesday coming in from the Tasman Sea.

A band of rain / showers moves northwards over the North Island slowly during Tuesday, not reaching Auckland and Northland till the evening / overnight. Early heavy rain eases about the northwestern corner of the South Island, expect showers for most other South Island regions although Canterbury and Marlborough are mainly dry. Canterbury could see a shower or two from afternoon Banks Peninsula northwards. A few sleety showers are to be expected about Southland with a few snow flurries to 400 or perhaps even 300m at times in a cold westerly airflow.

Most of the North Island is fairly settled on Wednesday, however expect a few morning showers in the east to clear then afternoon sun breaks through, showers may linger about Gisborne till evening. The Bay Of Plenty sees a few light showers develop in the evening. For the South Island, expect a few showers about South Westland, a shower or two makes it a little further northwards at times and into Southland now and then. Mostly sunny conditions elsewhere.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz