A front pushes northwards over the South Island today reaching the lower North Island later this evening / overnight. Some instability for parts of the upper North Island ahead of the front and the lower South Island in the east behind the front. A southwesterly airflow lies over the country on Friday and Saturday.

Thursday

Blue – Rain about northwestern parts of the South Island eases from afternoon, this rain band gradually moves northwards onto the lower North Island in the west later in the evening / overnight. Rain heavies for the West Coast of the South Island and a little less intense for the west of the North Island.

Late afternoon / evening isolated heavy showers are possible for eastern Otago through into South Canterbury, also parts of the upper North Island. There is a chance of thunderstorms in these showers, hail also for the showers about the lower South Island.

Purple – Gusty northwesterlies about the eastern South Island Canterbury northwards ease during the afternoon, strong northwesterlies through Cook Strait ease in the evening.

Yellow – Temperatures getting into the high 20’s about the east of the North Island in the afternoon, perhaps even early 30’s.

Friday

Blue – During the afternoon showers develop (especially about inland areas) from Canterbury northwards in the east and about the eastern North Island. There showers may become heavy with a chance of hail, thunderstorms possible too mainly about Marlborough and the Wairarapa.

Saturday

No risky weather to speak of on Christmas Eve. Cloudiest conditions will likely be along the West Coast of the South Island and about Southland, there may be a shower about these regions from time to time also otherwise it’s a mainly dry day. Canterbury northwards in the east is looking best weather wise, just some cloud about at times.

Southwesterlies will likely be fairly breezy about Taranaki through to Northland in the west. West to southwesterly winds a little gusty about coastal Southland and about the Catlins.

– Please note, the idea behind this update is to focus on the main weather highlights, which is why not all regions are mentioned. 

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