A low from the Tasman Sea will cross the country on Wednesday bringing patchy rain and showers to the North Island and upper South Island. The low is fairly weak overall but brings enough energy to produce rain bands – but NZ’s mountains and ranges will shred some of those rain clouds, making for patchy totals.

Wet weather is most likely across the North Island and upper South Island.

The eastern and southern South Island will be driest and rainfall totals in the eastern North Island from East Cape to Wairarapa will also be low, along with Wellington with totals likely less than 10mm.

See rain cumulation maps here.

It’s followed by a windier sou’wester or westerly on Thursday and a colder change returns to southern parts of the South Island.

Check your local rainfall totals (updated hourly) across our websites and app. Use the “Trends” graphs in our new app to view start, peak and end of rainfall times and likely rainfall totals and to view temperature spikes and lows.

You know it's autumn when on Tuesday it's cold with your heat going, but on Wednesday windows are open as subtropical air moves in (for some parts of eastern NZ). pic.twitter.com/F6APPy7eWE

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) May 14, 2024

⚠️⚡️Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Bay of Plenty radar area by @MetService.

You can view the heaviest downpours on radar (in purple). pic.twitter.com/H2k7aZW7qt

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) May 14, 2024

When you see news outlets using sensational words like "lashed" and "bracing for" to describe normal Autumn weather you know it's time for Weather Bingo!! pic.twitter.com/zFS09ITXtI

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) May 14, 2024

• WeatherWatch.co.nz