Story updated 11am — Here’s what is making the weather headlines today…

⚡️💨🥶#11AM: Current thunderstorms, windflow & temperatures.

If the weather this week was a 3 course meal, then today is the dessert❄️.

Stormy weather has peaked (or peaks this morning) – but still a few more squalls, thunderstorms & gusts to gale force before the day is over. pic.twitter.com/dlVn3CVDUU

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) May 10, 2023

Cold air funnel!. Followed be a beaut thunderstorm! @MetService @GulfHauraki @WeatherWatchNZ pic.twitter.com/YU2qJRk5ox

— Brian Hamilton (@mewindy) May 10, 2023

THUNDERSTORMS – NORTH ISLAND

A cold southwesterly airflow lies over the country today, the coldest of the year so far, apt considering we are heading towards winter.

For the South Island showers for the upper half clear away this afternoon although hanging about parts of Nelson and Tasman till evening. Showers move up along the eastern coastal fringe for much of the day and move into Southland and Otago. The West Coast has sunny weather although north of Westport along the coast there may be a shower or two.

Snow about the far south falls to 400m this morning but will lift during today. Banks Peninsula has flurries to 500m, lifting overnight. Expect frosty conditions overnight for inland areas especially the upper South Island.

The North Island has plenty of unsettled weather today, rain or showers for most regions although Hawkes Bay doesn’t see rain till afternoon then Gisborne this evening. Expect thunderstorms and hail for many about the upper North Island. Some snow for the Central Plateau lowers to 700m by evening before clearing away. Frosty overnight for the Central North Island.

For warnings on today’s weather from Metservice see this page here.

Today’s thunderstorm outlook from Metservice can be seen here.

HIGH STARTS TO MOVE IN FRIDAY

The weather becomes quite settled on Friday as high pressure moves in from the Tasman Sea, there will be quite a bit of sun but eastern regions and the far south has some cloud. Most regions are dry apart from a few coastal fringes in the east but these showers will clear, Southland and Otago see showers peel away from afternoon becoming restricted to coastal Southland in the evening.

A frosty start for inland areas especially the upper South Island and Central North Island.

SETTLED ON SATURDAY THEN SHOWERS FROM SUNDAY

New Zealand is quite settled on Saturday thanks to high pressure. On Sunday we have showers move onto the lower South Island, reaching the upper South Island later in the day. With these showers comes some cold upper air so there is the chance of some instability in these showers with hail and thunder.

Showers reach the North Island on Monday and cold upper air follows so thunderstorms and hail may develop there then, this would seem more likely in the west.

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