Here’s what is making the weather headlines today…..

OCCLUDED FRONT MOVES IN FROM THE WEST, TROUGH IN BEHIND

After a very nice and settled Monday today we have an occluded front pushing into the South Island from the Tasman Sea, rain for the West Coast can be expected with a few heavy falls possible then in behind the front a trough moves in bringing further heavy showers and a chance of thunderstorms.

Southland and Otago sees showers develop this afternoon too, one or two of these could be unstable.

The upper North Island is under cloudy’ish skies with a few showers. Later this evening or overnight heavy showers moves into the southwestern corner of the North Island (Taranaki through to Wellington) bringing a chance of thunder. Eastern regions overall are best today with warm temperatures.

For today’s watches and warnings from Metservice click here.

For today’s thunderstorm outlook from Metservice click here.

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CONDITIONS EASE WEDNESDAY THEN ANOTHER FRONT

Heavy showers or some rain can be expected for the western North Island on Wednesday morning (just run of the mill showers for Auckland / Northland) then breaking to increasing sun in the afternoon. Morning scattered rain in the east breaks to afternoon sun.

The South Island has a few showers in the west and mostly sunny warm weather in the east. In the evening heavy rain moves into South Westland as a new front arrives, heavy rain reaches North Westland overnight.

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RAIN OUTLOOK

The West Coast sees wetter than average conditions over the next seven days (although only just) while elsewhere is average to drier than average.

Check out our animated rain maps here, these maps will help show when various parts of the country get rain as fronts move through and where will be dry and when.

The precipitation percentage of normal map below runs through to Monday 30th October. Blue coloring means that part of the country is likely to see more rainfall than would normally be expected at this time of year, red means less rainfall is expected and white is an average amount of rainfall. The more intense either red or blue then either scenario is more true.