A front slowly moves over the upper half of the South Island during the day then onto the lower North Island overnight. There is a chance of some instability ahead of this front and in-behind.

For the upper North Island expect sunny spells, isolated showers may develop late afternoon / evening about Northland down through to the Waikato / inland Bay Of Plenty. A chance showers may turn heavy for some inland areas with the low risk of a thunderstorm. Winds from the north. Some rain towards dawn on Friday.

The lower North Island in the west sees increasing cloud and the chance of a shower or two, rain develops later in the evening or overnight with heavy falls as northwesterly winds changing southwest. The east coast has a mostly sunny day with increasing high cloud, temperatures getting into the mid to late 20’s. Perhaps even early 30’s. Rain moves into the Wairarapa overnight then perhaps by dawn on Friday into Hawkes Bay.

Wellington sees mostly cloudy skies, rain develops later in the evening. Strong to gale northwesterly winds.

Rain with heavy falls for North Westland eases from late afternoon, Nelson and Marlborough don’t see heavy-ish rain move in till late afternoon then easing later in the evening. Thick high cloud about coastal Marlborough with spots of rain there from afternoon then clearing overnight, winds gusty from the northwest.

Canterbury sees morning thick high cloud with a spot of rain, sun breaking through in the afternoon with gusty north to northwesterly winds easing. Late afternoon or evening isolated showers move into South Canterbury then pushing northwards later in the evening up to around Banks Peninsula, some of these showers could be heavy with hail and the low risk of a thunderstorm.

Showers for much of the day about Fiordland, dry in the morning about Southland and Otago then showers move in mid to late afternoon. Showers may become heavy about coastal Otago with thunderstorms and hail then easing in the evening.

Not all regions and towns have been mentioned above. For specific 10 day information for your city, town, rural community or island please see the 1500 forecasts on our homepage!

– Aaron Wilkinson, WeatherWatch.co.nz