A northwesterly airflow lies over New Zealand on Wednesday, a cold southerly change moves onto the lower South Island early in the morning then pushing northwards during the day.

Cloudy areas for the western North Island on Wednesday, especially about Taranaki southwards where there may be a light shower or two at times. Longer areas of sun Auckland northwards. Mostly sunny for the Bay Of Plenty and along the east coast.

Heavy rain slowly pushes northwards along the West Coast of the South Island during the day, a cold southerly change in the east brings rain which reaches North Canterbury in the evening. Snow lowers to 300m in the afternoon for Southland, 500m about Otago in the evening, 500m overnight for South Canterbury and 800m overnight about North Canterbury.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz