The next round of heavy rain activity will move in over the South Island’s West Coast today along with heavy snow in the mountains and gusty winds ahead of it.

Rain totals are expected to reach 100 mm in localised areas of the West Coast region from Monday to Wednesday morning. Also, high elevation areas are likely to receive heavy snow, the amounts adding up to 80 cm for the next 2 days from Sunday.

Temperatures ran colder than normal in the eastern half of the North Island on Saturday but today they should return to normal.

After a cold start for some – especially the lower half of the North Island this morning – Sunday runs warmer over much of NZ. Overall, warmer than average is expected in many parts of the country during the coming week with subtropical flows developing.

THE SITUATION:
High pressure lies just over northern NZ and also centred out of the Chatham Islands and is drifting further off NZ today bringing a windy nor’wester as it does so.

This area of high pressure helped bring a cold start to parts of the North Island today but as it departs today it is encouraging a milder, windier, nor’wester with gales through Cook Strait later.

Heavy rain returns to the West Coast today and moves northwards tonight. Only low accumulation in the east – if any. This front moves into the western North Island overnight tonight and into Monday morning – and falls apart as it runs into higher pressure further north. This northern high will encourage nor’westers off and on before bringing in sub-tropical northerlies mid week for some parts of NZ (leading to a warmer than average week ahead for most places).

View many more maps here: WeatherWatch.co.nz/maps-radars