A band of rain is slowly tracking eastwards across the North Island and behind it are sunnier skies and warm light northerly quarter winds. These light winds and dry skies lie in between the main deep low out in the Tasman Sea (that has brought severe weather to south eastern Australia for the past three days) and the band of rain crossing northern New Zealand this weekend.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the big low itself won’t reach New Zealand until late Tuesday and Wednesday when it brings rain and showers to the west and north of both islands – then by mid to late week a west to south west change as it falls apart over the country.

Despite the front clearing a little earlier today in some northern and western areas (like Auckland) there are still heavy downpours in the light warm northerly flow.

Temperatures for the next few days will be much warmer than average nationwide but today will still be a little cooler than usual in Canterbury. WeatherWatch.co.nz says the warmer than average trend continues on from the past week but will fade later this coming week.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz