A cold front moves off the upper South Island and onto the western North Island later this morning or around midday. This brings a period of rain with heavy falls (possible thunderstorms too). Some rain spills over from the west affecting the North Island’s east coast as this front moves northwards. A wet day for the West Coast of the South Island, mainly dry in the east but there may be a few early spots of rain then clearing although rain doesn’t clear Marlborough till afternoon.

A cold southwest change brings rain to Southland later in the evening, moving northwards reaching Canterbury around dawn on Wednesday.

Cold southwesterlies for much of the country on Wednesday and Thursday with showers, mainly in the west but eastern regions see showers as fronts move through. Gale southwesterlies at times for Auckland on Wednesday.

Friday sees conditions ease, still showers in the west, dry in the east. Dry for eastern regions over the weekend, still the odd shower possible in the west but these will be more likely the further south you head.

For rainfall accumulation maps for 1, 2 and 3 days out please visit our new maps page: https://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/maps-radars/rain/accumulative-rainfall

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz