Very narrow bands of rain are proving difficult to forecast today as a low south of New Zealand sends slow moving fronts across the country.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the rain bands are long but narrow.  “Rain bands like this mean some areas will see rain settling in while other places nearby remain dry.  The rain bands are moving length wise rather than quickly from west to east…so chances are if it’s dry now it could remain dry for quite some time while wet places will be wetter longer”.

Mr Duncan says Auckland is likely to remain mostly dry until this afternoon when showers or patchy rain should develop.  “Slow moving systems might seem easier to forecast but actually they often aren’t”.

Meanwhile the isobars are squeezing together over the Wellington region with gale force northerlies moving back in.

MetService has a number of rain and wind warnings out today for central New Zealand.

You’ll find these warnings here.