A ridge of high pressure lies over New Zealand this morning extending out from an anticyclone to the east, as the day moves along the ridge loses its grip and a northwesterly airflow builds over the South Island. Strong northerlies lie over the country on Tuesday with a front pushing into the lower South Island in the morning, reaching the western North Island in the evening.

Some cloud for Northland today, also Coromandel and perhaps western Bay Of Plenty. Risk of a shower about some exposed areas like eastern Northland, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel. Risk of a shower about East Cape also. Cloud about Hawkes Bay slowly breaks from afternoon, morning cloud about the Wairarapa then mostly sunny. Cloud gradually increases along the South Island’s West Coast, light showers about Fiordland spread northwards in the evening. Mostly sunny with developing high cloud out east.

Heavy rain spreads northwards along the West Coast of the South Island on Tuesday, reaching Northland in the evening. Generally drier conditions in the east with some high cloud. A period of rain or showers working there way into Southland and Otago however.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz