A cold front moves northwards over the South Island on Wednesday while a slim ridge of high pressure holds on further north.

Isolated showers and sunny spells for many North Island regions on Wednesday, showers are more likely in the afternoon especially the southwestern corner about inland Taranaki through to Manwatu where one or two could become heavy with a thunderstorm.

Heavy rain pushes northwards along the West Coast of the South Island during the day, easing in behind with a southwest change. Rain also moves north along the east coast, rain may become fairly persistent / heavy about Southland and Otago from late afternoon then easing overnight. South to southwesterly winds freshen about the lower South Island from afternoon becoming strong in the evening about coastal areas.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz