Northwesterly breezes increasing across the North Island today becoming strong in the west at night, sunny areas and increasing cloud mainly later on. A few showers at times about Taranaki and Kapiti during the day becoming widespread in the west later overnight or towards dawn on Thursday. It will be a sunny day with some high cloud on the east coast, northwesterly breezes becoming strong in the evening about Waipara and then at night about Hawkes Bay and Gisborne. About Wellington expect cloudy areas and the odd shower, northwesterlies becoming strong after midday gale force about Cook Strait.

Rain on the West Coast of the South Island becoming heavy from afternoon, breezy northwesterlies change strong westerly in the evening. Sunny areas and some cloud about Nelson, northwesterlies increase with showers at night. Mostly sunny about Canterbury though to Marlborough with light winds freshening from the northwest in the evening mainly about North Canterbury northwards, expect some high cloud also. Northwesterlies becoming strong about Marlborough in the evening gale force about the Sounds.

Variable winds tending east to northeast about the coast in Southland and Otago, areas of cloud with the odd shower possible at times. Winds tend more westerly in inland areas. Some rain about the south coast and the Catlins later in the evening as winds tend more west to southwest.

Temperatures in the high teen’s or low 20’s today about Northland through to the Waikato and about the Bay Of Plenty. High’s may reach the mid 20’s on the east coast, 16 to 17 degree high’s elsewhere. Temperatures in the low 20’s today for the east in the South Island from Canterbury up through to Marlborough, high teen’s for Nelson. Mid teens on the West Coast, Southland and Otago.

WeatherWatch.co.nz