A west to northwesterly airflow lies over the North Island on Wednesday building later in the day with a front pushing through overnight. The South Island has a low sitting out to the east for much of the day, the airflow is mostly from the west although a southerly change sneaks up the east coast during the day. Overnight a more broad scale airflow shift to the south develops.

For the upper North Island one can expect showers for much of the day, perhaps some brief sun now and then. Overnight rain moves through with the chance of a heavy fall. There may be some isolated thunder in the west overnight. Northwesterly winds becoming strong about some coastal areas overnight also.

A similar picture for the lower North Island in the west although rain with the chance of heavy falls makes an earlier appearance in the evening then eases overnight. Northwesterlies through the Cook Strait area are likely to rise to gale from afternoon then ease overnight. For the east coast it’s a dry day with mainly sunny weather, overnight there may be a spot of rain spread from the west.

For the South Island, showers affect the West Coast for much of the day, rain about parts of North Westland / Buller may be heavy at times. Winds mostly from the west.

The east coast has sunny areas and gusty northwesterly winds, a southerly change moves into the lower South Island in the morning however bringing some rain which sneaks up into parts of South and Mid Canterbury late afternoon or evening with the chance of a heavy fall or two.

Overnight strong south to southwesterly winds develop about the lower South Island with more widespread rain moving in.

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