Our weather is stepping up a notch on Thursday, as several competing systems converge above the country, creating some unsettled and rough conditions in places.

Wind

First up we have a low moving across from the Tasman Sea, set to cross the North Island in the evening.
With that front comes rain – which may be heavy – and then strong southwesterly winds behind it as it moves to the east.

Northwesterly winds through Cook Strait will be strong, with winds gusting to gale at times – before easing in the mid afternoon.
In the evening, strong southerlies move into the Wellington area, with winds gusting to gale at times.
Strong southerlies push up the East Coast of the North Island overnight, where winds may gust to gale in exposed coastal areas.

As the low crosses over the North Island, strong southwesterly winds develop about Northland in the late afternoon, before moving into Auckland, northern Waikato and the Western Bay of Plenty by evening.
These winds will be fairly strong, with gales in western coastal areas.

Rain

Some rain falls over the Upper North Island from afternoon, before evening rain may intensify, then easing overnight.

For Greymouth northwards on the West Coast of the South Island, there may be some heavy rain in the morning – before easing in the afternoon to showers.

Snow

Finally, another front pushes onto Southland and Otago in the morning before moving into Canterbury by late afternoon.
This front brings a short period of cold, showery activity – and likely periods of snow flurries.
Some snow may fall down to around 500m for a time, before this mostly clears in the evening about Southland and Otago.
Showers about Canterbury may fall as flurries down to 600m in the evening, then 500m overnight for a brief time – before this too clears.

– Aaron Wilkinson & Drew Chappell, WeatherWatch.co.nz

– Photo: Chris Johnson