A cold front slowly slides northwards over the South Island today reaching the lower North Island in the evening. Winds from the northwest ahead of the front changing south to southwest in behind.

North Island

Mostly cloudy for the western North Island, expect the odd shower, Northland sees long dry periods. Patchy rain picking up south of about Waikato late afternoon / evening. Mostly cloudy along the east coast, a few spits about Wairarapa spreading from the west late afternoon / evening. Winds from the northwest.

South Island

Rain for North Westland, heavy about Buller and Tasman then easing evening. Showers further south along the West Coast, perhaps becoming heavy about northern Fiordland / southern South Westland, easing evening. Rain about Nelson (heavy in the northwest) spreads into Marlborough around midday, clearing evening as gusty northwesterlies ease.

High cloud for Canterbury with light winds, southerlies pick up from afternoon Banks Peninsula southwards bringing increasing mid level cloud. Rain moves in to South Canterbury mid afternoon before clearing at night, staying mainly dry further north but there is the chance of a coastal shower later in the evening.

Mostly cloudy for Otago with the odd shower, some rain for North Otago and perhaps Central Otago developing in the afternoon, clearing away in the evening. Showers about Southland, clearing in the evening but the odd one may remain about the coast. Light winds from the west or southwest.

Today’s max temperatures

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz