A front moves northwards over the South Island today reaching central New Zealand around midnight. Expect very strong northwesterly winds preceding the front and slightly more gentler westerlies behind the front. Rain on the West Coast of the South Island will be torrential and wind out east could be damaging.

Auckland & Northland
Mostly cloudy skies with northwesterly winds increasing becoming strong in the afternoon. Light odd light shower develops later in the evening and rain develops towards dawn the next morning.
Highs: 19-20

Bay Of Plenty, Waikato & Central North Island
Mostly cloudy skies with northwesterly winds, northwesterlies become gusty about the Central North Island from afternoon. The odd light shower about the Central North Island turns to rain later in the evening which spreads elsewhere overnight.
Highs: 16-19

Eastern North Island
Sunny with some high cloud, northwesterly winds strengthen and may gust to gale force at times in the afternoon. About the Wairarapa northwesterlies are likely to gust to gale force from this morning and later in the evening some rain may develop.
Highs: 20-22

Western North Island
Becoming mostly cloudy this morning, northerly winds strengthen becoming strong in the afternoon possibly gusting to gale force at times. The odd shower about northern Taranaki and Kapiti then in the evening widespread rain moves in.
Highs: 16-18

Wellington
Cloudy with strong northerlies rising to gale force at times this morning, from afternoon expect more sustained gale force winds with severe gales at times. A few spots of rain are possible afternoon onwards then in the evening rain develops. Rain eases overnight with a westerly change.
Highs: 15-16

Nelson
Cloudy with rain developing this morning, heavy for a time late afternoon and evening. Northerlies strengthen during the day becoming strong possibly gusting to gale from afternoon. Rain eases overnight then clears as strong northerlies change westerly.
Highs: 16-17

Marlborough
Thick high cloud with strong northwesterlies developing this morning rising to gale force by midday. Expect gale northwesterly winds during the afternoon gusting to severe gale at times. Rain mid to late afternoon then clearing at night as winds change westerly.
Highs: 19-20

Canterbury
Gale northwesterly winds (risk of severe gales) inland about the foothills spread to the coast during this morning, thick high cloud with rain about and west of the foothills. Some rain spreads to coastal areas during the afternoon then clears in the evening as gale northerlies change westerly.
Highs: 20-21

West Coast
Torrential falls of rain today with thunderstorms, strong northerly winds gusting to gale force at times. Conditions ease in the evening as winds change west to southwest.
Highs: 14-15

Coastal Otago
Thick high cloud with gusty northerly winds, possibly gusting to gale force at times. Mid to late afternoon winds change brisk westerly bringing a period of rain which could be heavy with thunderstorms and hail then clearing at night.
Highs: 20-21

Central Otago
Morning rain eases to showers in the afternoon as northerlies change westerly.
Highs: 13-14

Southland
Morning rain then heavy showers from late morning or midday as northerlies change gusty westerly. Showers eas in the evening
Highs: 12-13

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz