Much of NZ is settled today but a deepening sub-tropical low to our north east will brush the upper North Island with stronger winds and a few showers.

As we reported yesterday this will make eastern beaches of the upper half of the North Island more dangerous with bigger waves and stronger rips, along with bigger seas offshore. While the weather may improve in the days ahead, heightened easterly waves, swells and rips will continue until Friday or Saturday.

Winds will gust near gale force for some more exposed eastern parts of Northland, north Auckland, Great Barrier Island and Coromandel Peninsula during Wednesday. For those camping, these winds only look to last about a day. Refer to your HOURLY LOCAL forecasts for more details wherever in NZ you are right now. The winds aren’t typically an issue for most people but if you’re in a tent or caravan/awning it may be worthy of advanced warning.

A few showers will bubble up in the lower North Island today with an isolated thunderstorm possible in Manawatu.

The South Island is over 8 degrees warmer than average for many inland today – and again tomorrow.

WeatherWatch.co.nz is “New Zealand’s most accurate rain forecaster” according to a very recent NZ Government study (DoC). To make more sense of rainfall in your area check out our hourly and daily estimates at both WeatherWatch.co.nz and RuralWeather.co.nz.