A cold front will move up the South Island on Tuesday caused by a low pressure system in the Southern Ocean.

This front will deliver slow moving heavy rain to the West Coast across the day, easing at night.

Winds ahead of the front will be strong, possibly gale in exposed areas, from the north to north west around Cook Strait and the Southern Alps.

This airflow will help push the temperature up in the east in both islands with Hawke’s Bay likely to climb into the late 20s C.

Elsewhere it should be a fairly pleasant, warm, Autumn day.

– By Aaron Wilkinson and Philip Duncan

– WeatherWatch.co.nz