A southwesterly airflow lies over New Zealand today moving around a high centred in the Tasman Sea. Northwesterlies strengthen on Thursday with a cold front pushing onto the lower South Island from afternoon.

Apart from any early clearing showers (mainly in the west) the North Island has a mainly sunny day today, just some cloud at times for western regions north of Taranaki. A few showers pepper the western South Island during the day, morning showers clear Southland. Mostly sunny elsewhere.

Sunny spells for the western North Island on Thursday, Taranaki southwards sees slightly cloudier skies and the chance of a shower or two. Along the east coast and for Bay Of Plenty expect sunny areas and some high cloud.

Some high cloud for the eastern South Island on Thursday, cloudy in the west with showers, rain about Fiordland with heavy falls and possible thunderstorms from afternoon then moving northwards in the evening / overnight. Northwesterlies about inland parts of the South Island may gust to gale force later in the evening or overnight.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz