A ridge lies over the North Island today meanwhile northwesterlies build further south, a front pushes onto the lower South Island late afternoon reaching the Nelson / Marlborough regions around midnight.

North Island

Morning cloud with the risk of a light showers for the upper North Island then sunny spells increase in the afternoon, southwesterly winds. Morning cloud for the lower western North Island then breaking to mostly sunny weather in the afternoon, west to northwesterly winds. Mostly sunny along the east coast, northeasterlies change northwest late afternoon / evening.

South Island

Mostly cloudy in the west, rain moves into Fiordland this morning bringing heavy falls then pushing northwards late afternoon. Sunny areas and some high cloud for Nelson and Marlborough, west to northwest winds. Plenty of high cloud for Canterbury, winds from the northwest however tending northeast about coastal fringes. Northwesterlies becoming strong for inland areas late afternoon / evening with gales possible. Northwesterlies push through to the coast in the evening, chance spot of rain late afternoon / evening. Mostly cloudy about Southland and Otago with areas of rain developing this morning, northerlies tend northwest during the afternoon, winds strong about North Otago and coastal Southland.

WeatherWatch.co.nz