Heavy rain will continue across the western and northwestern regions of the South Island today. The best chances for heavy rain will move from Westland this morning into Nelson and northwest Marlborough for this afternoon and this evening. Heavy rain could also affect Taranaki tonight.

Winds will be a factor as well. Gusty north to northwest winds are expected for these areas.

Strong winds may also be a factor. Inalnd parts of Marlborough could see winds approaching severe gale levels. Wellington and southern Wairarapa could also see severe gales. Government forecaster MetService has a severe weather watch in effect for these areas. Whilst Wellington and southern Wairarapa could see a few showers this morning and this afternoon, widespread rain will likely hold off until tonight. Heavy rainfall should not be a factor until the overnight hours.

For the rest of the South Island, a few showers will be possible along the eastern and southern regions. Don’t expect an all day rain. At the same time, don’t look for too much sun either.

For the rest of the North Island, a few showers are possible for Hawkes Bay and Gisborne during the daylight hours. Otherwise, look for a mainly cloudy sky with precipitation becoming more widespread tonight.

By WeatherWatch Analyst Howard Joseph