Here’s what is making the weather headlines today.

A FEW HEAVY FALLS, MAYBE SOME THUNDER – NORTH ISLAND

An area of low pressure sits over the North Island today bringing showers to all regions, rain in the west Taranaki southwards may be heavy then during the afternoon and into the evening heavy falls switch sides to the east coast as southerly winds strengthen.

There could even be a thunderstorm with some hail in amongst heavy falls.

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SUNNY IN THE SOUTHWEST – SOUTH ISLAND

Sunny weather today for Southland and Otago, perhaps a light frost this morning, this evening some cloud moves into Southland from the southwest.

The majority of the West Coast is sunny today, morning showers north of Greymouth clear away then mostly sunny there. Light winds from the southerly quarter.

WEATHER NEXT SEVEN DAYS LESS CHAOTIC

It’s fair to say most of winter has been fairly chaotic, this is especially true in terms of the amount of low pressure systems we have had bringing plenty of rain.

The weather coming up as we head towards spring is less chaotic, at least for the next seven days. The precipitation percentage of normal map below shows dry conditions for the eastern South Island thanks to northerly quarter winds coming up, there will be some wet weather in the west especially 1st and 2nd September.

The North Island is fairly dry apart from the odd shower in the east and north, it’s today that there is rain which means most of the North Island gets an average amount of rainfall as far as the next 7 days are concerned.