A high pressure system is today advancing across the country calming down the winds further – but not guaranteeing sunny weather.

The high – which replaces several large lows in recent weeks – will bring more sun to some areas, mainly along the Tasman Sea, however rain and showers will continue to fall across many central and eastern areas.

Christchurch, Wellington and Napier are the three biggest centres that are likely to be affected by rain or showers on Wednesday.  The moisture is caught up in an east to south east flow which will mainly affect the North Island’s east coast.

The flow of weather in the east could bring heavy rain at times to Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay too.

By Thursday the high will be east of New Zealand and the showers will be easing – but possibly not clearing – along the North Islland’s east coast from Wellington to Gisborne. 

A few showers may also creep around East Cape and into eastern Coromandel Peninsula and parts of eastern Northland on Thursday or Friday.

The showery easterly flow will run out of energy on Friday –  just in time for a new active and spring-like cold front which is likely to bring a period of heavy rain with isolated thunderstorms to the West Coast on Saturday then head into the North Island’s west coast later on Sunday.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the rain in eastern areas may be some of the last of the more significant falls as we start to see more westerlies developing – which tend to bring more rain to the west and dry weather to the east.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz