An anticyclone is centred west of the North Island in the Tasman Sea today with a west to southwesterly airflow pushing in. The South Island sees a strengthening west to northwesterly airflow, a front moves onto the lower South Island later in the evening.

RainWatch is a series during the weekdays, giving a snapshot about where around New Zealand areas of precipitation may affect your day.

A dry day for the North Island today.

The West Coast has showers, rain at times about Fiordland becoming heavy in the evening then gradually spreading northwards. Cloudy areas and the odd spit for Southland and Otago, rain later in the evening / overnight may be heavy for a time as a front pushes in.

Dry elsewhere for the South Island.

WeatherWatch.co.nz

Image – Tuesday 4pm, 17th January 2017 rain / MSLP map – weathermap.co.nz