Here’s what is making the weather headlines today.

LOW BRINGS UNSETTLED WEATHER

Yes a big low pressure system centred to the west of the South Island in the Tasman Sea is bringing plenty of unsettled weather today. Heavy rain for western regions, perhaps some thunder. Rain in the east starts to clear up this afternoon.

Some snow may be heavy this morning about the inner South Island high country Mid Canterbury through to the Central Otago Lakes District to about 600m (lesser amounts may fall to 500/400m), this will lift this afternoon.

Northeasterly winds will be strong over the country this morning, winds tend more to the north this afternoon, about coastal Southland and coastal Otago especially easterlies strengthen rising to gale force then easing this evening.

Australia sent us their rain, in the shape of a boomerang…https://t.co/sZ6VGdTVQY pic.twitter.com/EphDcZammm

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) July 7, 2022

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SOUTHERLIES SPREAD NORTHWARDS ON SATURDAY

Cold southerlies spread northwards over the South Island on Saturday, most regions of the South Island see rain or showers, a few heavy falls for the West Coast ease later in the day. Nelson and Marlborough may remain dry till evening then rain moves in there.

Expect some snow lowering to 300m by evening about the far south but then clearing away, snow gets to 300 / 400m later in the day or overnight for Canterbury then eases. Snow overnight to 600m for the ranges of Marlborough. Typically as the air gets colder at lower levels precipitation rates drop away so snow flurries to the levels mentioned above may be minimal and may not settle, it’s higher up that snow starts to accumulate. The Canterbury high country in the afternoon and evening may see some heavy snow above about 600m then easing overnight while simultaneously lowering.