Two sets of weather are about to affect New Zealand – rain with sub-tropical connections in the North Island and a cold blast of air in the South Island.

It’s a complicated set up, but generally speaking Sunday is the day the rain sets in over the North Island and the day the coldest air moves into the South Island.

We’ve told Civil Defence in Auckland this system may produce localised heavy falls (not just in Auckland but anywhere over the North Island to be honest) and while the chances of flooding are not currently high from this incoming event following the recent rains and floods there may be moderate concerns about further prolonged rain. Thankfully the nation has enjoyed some truly stunning, dry and sunny days since ex-Cyclone Cook passed so a lot of the water has been able to drain away or be absorbed deeper into the ground.

The cold snap won’t impact the North Island as much as it will the South Island, Monday will be cooler but nothing like the lower South Island will be on Sunday.

Places like Invercargill, Dunedin and Queenstown have daytime highs of only 9 degrees on Sunday.  Well down from highs in the late teens or early 20s at the moment. 

Things may briefly warm up again next week but another, possibly bigger, cold snap is coming later next week (for the first weekend of May potentially).

Welcome to true Autumn.

More details in our next weather video out this afternoon.

– Image Sunday morning shows cold southerlies in the south and plenty of wet weather over the north / weathermap.co.nz

– WeatherWatch.co.nz