Here’s what is making the weather headlines today.

COOLER IN THE EAST TODAY – SOUTH ISLAND

A south to southwesterly airflow lies over the country today with rain or showers for eastern regions, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne don’t see showers till later this afternoon or evening.

Eastern regions for the South Island will feel cooler today compared to yesterday. Highs for eastern South Island regions yesterday compared to today’s forecasted highs below.

Blenheim 18 – 17

Kaikoura 16 – 12

Christchurch 19 – 14

Ashburton 19 – 14

Oamaru – 18 – 15

Dunedin 18 – 13

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RIDGE NUDGES IN ON SATURDAY

A high in the Tasman extends a ridge of high pressure over New Zealand on Saturday meaning the weather is more settled or at least becoming more settled. A few showers for eastern regions clear in the morning then sunny spells develop, the odd shower brushes the upper North Island from afternoon as a weak trough pushes through. Then we have a warm front brushing the far south and this may bring a shower to coastal Southland for a time around midday.

With the cloud cover map below, the bright cloud is often mid to higher level cloud, the lighter colour is lower level cloud.

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OUTLOOK NEXT SEVEN DAYS MAINLY DRY

Higher pressure over the next seven days will lead to drier conditions for New Zealand, the western North Island especially, this is where soil moisture levels are high though so not so much of a concern there.

Some rain or shower activity for eastern regions today will be welcome. We have a few further weak fronts to come for the South Island, one on Sunday and again next week on Tuesday but they don’t deliver much in the way of moisture.

Looking a little further into the beyond an area of low pressure around the 10th December may deliver some widespread rain or showers so watch this space.