Cold southwesterlies cover the country on Friday.

Rain or showers for most of the North Island on Friday, from afternoon showers becoming heavy in areas with a risk of hail / thunder for the upper North Island especially out west. Snow flurries about the Central Plateau lower to 800m later in the day.

Rain or showers for much of the eastern South Island from Southland up through to Nelson, easing from afternoon. Morning showers about North Westland clear then expect high cloud, showers may hang about Buller through till evening. Mostly sunny about South Westland. Snow flurries to 500m about Southland / Otago, 600m for Canterbury, a few may make it below this level by a couple hundred meters later in the day but amounts will be minimal and will taper away.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz