A low centred just to the northwest of the North Island drags down an easterly quarter airflow over New Zealand today bringing mainly unsettled weather. The best weather will be about Southland and Fiordland. This low moves over the North Island on Thursday bringing unsettled conditions, southwesterlies further south.

Rain or showers for most of the North Island today, rain may be heavy about central areas. Rain develops about Nelson / Marlborough this morning then spreading into Canterbury during the afternoon. Plenty of high cloud about the far south, mainly dry although coastal Otago sees some drizzle by evening then a chance of overnight rain.

Rain or showers for much of the North Island on Thursday, becoming heavy from afternoon about Northland down to Waikato in the evening as southwesterlies strengthen. Rain or showers for much of the upper South Island, becoming intense for inland areas from mid afternoon then easing overnight. The lower South Island has a mainly dry day, perhaps a shower or two about Southland.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz