Strong west to southwest winds develop across the North Island this morning gale force at times in exposed areas especially in western coastal areas, expect some morning rain easing to showers and the chance of a few sunny periods in the afternoon. Strong northwesterlies on the east coast tend more westerly around mid morning, expect high cloud and a few brief showers possible with that wind change then sunnier weather afterwards. Winds may reach gale force at times in exposed areas especially in Wairarapa and showers return there later at night.

A few morning showers in Wellington then becoming sunny with some cloud, strong northwesterlies gale force at times especially about Cook Strait. Winds tend more westerly in the evening then southerly at night with showers.

Strong northwesterlies about the upper half of the South Island gale force at times in exposed areas, sunny on the east coast with showers in the west. Some early morning rain about Marlborough clears. Winds change strong to gale southwest mid to late afternoon with showers developing in Canterbury and on the Kaikoura Coast however Marlborough remaining mostly dry as this change moves through, a few showers may develop later in the evening mainly along the coast. Showers will persist during the day for the southern half of the West Coast with strong to gale force westerly winds.

Southwesterlies freshen from morning in Southland and Otago, rain in Southland spreads into Otago in the form of showers by midday as southwesterlies strengthen. Strong west to southwest winds gale force at times in exposed areas about Southland from morning and most of Otago during the afternoon. Expect some snow to 600m from evening lowering to 500m at night.

Temperatures of 17 to 18 degrees about Northland, Auckland and Bay Of Plenty today. High teens on the east coast with low 20 temperatures possible in Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, mid teens elsewhere in the North Island. 17 to 18 degrees can be expected in Canterbury through to Nelson along the east coast before the afternoon southwest change, 13 to 14 degrees on the West Coast and 11 to 12 in Southland and Otago.

WeatherWatch.co.nz