A moderate southwesterly airflow covers the country today. Southwesterlies continue over the North Island on Thursday meanwhile northwesterlies build over the south.

A mix of sun and cloud for the Waikato through to Northland, chance of a shower or two at times mainly Auckland northwards. The Bay Of Plenty has a mostly sunny day. Mostly sunny along the east coast at first, a few light showers develop about the Wairarapa this morning as winds tend southerly. Southerlies push into Hawkes Bay and Gisborne in the afternoon bringing some cloud and the risk of a shower. A mix of sun and cloud for the lower western North Island.  Mostly sunny about Nelson and Marlborough, some afternoon cloud. Canterbury has some morning cloud and the low risk of a shower then sunny areas develop from afternoon with southwesterly winds. Morning cloud may bring a shower along the West Coast then sun breaks through. Chance of a morning spit or shower about Southland and Otago (mainly coastal Otago) then sun breaks through, west to southwesterly winds.

Some cloud and a light shower or two for the western North Island on Thursday, sunnier conditions out east with warm afternoon temperatures in the high teens. Cloudy for the West Coast of the South Island with the odd light shower, rain moves into South Westland in the afternoon then becomes heavy especially by evening. Sunny areas and increasing high cloud in the east with warm temperatures and northwesterlies. Rain spreads into Southland and western Central Otago in the evening.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz