Cloudy over most of the North Island today, winds will be breezy from the north or northwest gale force about Wellington and Wairarapa in the morning. Expect areas of rain easing to showers during the afternoon as winds change westerly. On the east coast expect dry weather and thickening high cloud, northwesterlies gusty at times. A few showers spread from the west in the evening as that westerly change makes its way through.

Cloudy on the South Island’s West Coast with showers, thundery in Fiordland. Morning rain eases to showers in North Westland and Buller as winds tend westerly by midday. From midday through to evening thunderstorms spread from Fiordland into Westland with a risk of hail. Rain in Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds clears around midday as gusty northerlies change westerly, sunny breaks develop.

In other parts of Marlborough and Canterbury there will be a few showers early in the morning however they’ll clear to a mostly sunny day with light winds. In the afternoon a southwest change moves through Canterbury bringing some cloud and the risk of a shower. In the evening through till midnight a period of showers is likely south of Banks Peninsula mainly nearer the coast, these showers could be heavy and thundery with hail.

Sunny at first in Otago with light winds, southwesterlies freshen by midday with showers however, some hail and thunder possible late afternoon mainly nearer the coast. Mostly cloudy in Southland with a few showers developing in the morning with westerlies, a chance of hail and thunder during the afternoon then easing by evening.

16 to 18 degree high’s north of the Auckland today and along the east coast, mid teen high’s elsewhere. Temperatures in the high teens for Canterbury and Marlborough in the South Island, mid teens around Nelson and Otago. 12 to 13 can be expected in Southland and on the West Coast.