The weather across Friday hasn’t exactly been severe but still the leftovers from the almost two-week-long storm continue to affect some regions.

Aucklanders have shivered today with much of the day in single digits and hail showers peppering the city.  The high was only 12.

Snow fall on the Tararua ranges and around Southland and Otago this morning.

But on the West Coast, one of the worst affected regions over the past two weeks, the sun did come out today and the showers eased/cleared.

Showers are still pumping in from the south west but are fanning out sideways as they head north-eastwards.  That’s why the West Coast has had a much drier day today and why Canterbury and Wellington have missed out on the stormy weather over the past 24 hours.

But the showers are still continuing just offshore on both coasts of both islands…so even a very tiny shift in wind direction could see showers return to Auckland – or move into Christchurch and Wellington.

In fact during Friday showers and clouds have been brushing parts of Banks Peninsula – while the mainland has been fairly sunny.  If the wind shifted slightly more southerly those showers just off the coast would move in to Christchurch and later Wellington.  There is a low risk of this happening later on Saturday.

WeatherWatch.co.nz thought winds would shift a little more southerly tonight and spare Auckland of many showers on Saturday.  We’ve slightly increased the risk of a few showers on Saturday based on the sou’wester lingering for a few hours longer, however we still believe the day will have plenty of dry spells too.  Again, we’ll be monitoring the air flow closely as showers are certainly predicted just off the west coast into the afternoon – but the line is too fine to know if they will affect the city into the afternoon.

By Saturday night frosts may be returning to inland parts of both islands – and they could be heavy in the deep south.  Following the wet weather and snow WeatherWatch.co.nz advises motorists to be prepared for black ice in northern Southland and Otago on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

– Homepage image / File, Simon Williams

– WeatherWatch.co.nz