We’ve been getting reports that there has been a wide variety of weather across New Zealand today.

Not surprising.  We were forecasting everything from heavy rain and strong winds on one side of the country to settled sunshine on another.

And some areas got both.

Tammy English from Christchurch says she was “singing in the rain and chasing rainbows this morning” before enjoying some afternoon sunshine.

On the other side of the country, around noon Kathleen Farquhar reported “getting hammered” by strong wind gusts in Kapuni along with on and off showers all morning.

Debby Cresswell reported simply “Lovely sunny day in Gizzy”

Kiwis in the capital city reported a nice start to the day, but clouds and rain are making their way in at this hour.

Rain will continue to move over much of the North Island during the rest of today and into tonight.  Rain should begin to ease off a bit this evening about Westland where MetService’s heavy rain warnings are due to expire this evening.

Northwest gales are still expected for inland parts of Otago through this afternoon and  for inland Canterbury, the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington, and southern Wairarapa through this evening.  Severe gale gusts of 120 km/h are likely in exposed parts of these regions.

MetService is also cautioning people considering heading into the South Island mountains that conditions will be extremely hazardous.  Localised severe gales are possible about Westland, Buller and inland parts of Marlborough.

Homepage image/Zelda Wynn

By WeatherWatch Analyst Howard Joseph (and the WeatherWatch readers)