Wednesday sees an increasing northerly quarter airflow over New Zealand while a deepening low drops into the Tasman Sea from the tropics, this deep and large low affects the country on Thursday bringing gale winds and heavy rain for the South Island. Heavy rain may also affect the North Island from afternoon.

Plenty going on in the coming days due to a very tightly packed and deep low that affects the country on Thursday then weakens on Friday. Wednesday is a transition day before the low moves in, for many though it will still be a nice day and hot especially for the eastern South Island, later in the evening or overnight heavy rain starts to move onto the western / lower South Island.

On Thursday heavy rain with torrential falls affects the west of the South Island, thunderstorms are possible also. Rain may be heavy for the western North Island from afternoon then easing overnight. Winds are strong to gale force from the north for many regions, southerlies strengthen about the lower South Island during the day. The strongest winds overall will be for the western and northern South Island, also Taranaki where severe gale are likely.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz