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

🥶It's cold today in the south of New Zealand.

🤪#Spring

🥵It's warm tomorrow in the south of New Zealand. pic.twitter.com/3I8WOlHycW

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) October 16, 2023

💨Windy-ish #Wellington …. strong to gale northerlies this morning swing southerly and then ease.https://t.co/seU63pbBO6 pic.twitter.com/HOsekYoRV1

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) October 16, 2023

💧Barely a drop of #rain for #Australia over the next 3 days. Remarkable when you compare it to the rain map for #NewZealand for just the next day.

Australia has 29 times the landmass of New Zealand! pic.twitter.com/9H67SZCgFV

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) October 16, 2023

MORE WARNINGS, RAIN AND SNOW

Various fronts bring unsettled weather to the South Island today, heavy rain is in the mix especially for the West Coast and about the Main Divide. There is a risk of heavy snow at higher elevations (mainly above 700 / 800m).

Northwesterlies through Cook Strait are quite strong with gales likely but that part of the world is not too unfamiliar with strong winds, as southerlies push in around midday northwesterlies naturally ease.

UNSTABLE UPPER NORTH ISLAND TODAY AND TOMORROW

Unstable conditions develop for parts of the upper North Island this afternoon and again tomorrow afternoon. While upper air is relatively cold it is not overly cold, surface moisture however is fairly reasonable and this is a main factor contributing to unstable conditions.

Wednesday afternoon’s surface moisture is higher than today so the risk of heavy showers and thunder is a touch higher on Wednesday, especially for Waikato.

For more on today and tomorrow’s thunderstorm chances please see today’s thunderstorm outlook by Metservice here.

FOG RISK THURSDAY MORNING

Settled conditions and clear skies leads to a a chance of fog overnight Wednesday / Thursday morning.

For the South Island this risk is mostly about inland Buller and along the foothills for Canterbury. For the North Island many inland areas could have a risk of fog Waikato southwards.