A front passes over New Zealand today moving in a west to east fashion, this may carry some unstable weather for the North Island. In the afternoon in the clearance behind this front, parts of the lower eastern South Island may see thunderstorms also. A northwesterly airflow changes to the southwest over the South Island on Wednesday heralding in cooler temperatures. These cooler temperatures arrive in the North Island on Thursday.

A mix of showers and sunny spells for much of the western North Island today, a period of more sustained showers moves through starting in the west this morning then pushing eastwards. This area of more sustained showers may turn into thunderstorms from Waikato down through to Manawatu then easing this afternoon. Dry along most of the east coast, showers with a chance of heavy falls moves through the Wairarapa in the afternoon. A busy day in the South Island, morning rain or showers about Nelson / Marlborough then some afternoon sun. Morning rain eases to showers along the West Coast, another burst of rain moves in late afternoon possibly heavy with thunderstorms. Mainly dry for most of Canterbury however South Canterbury through to Southland sees a spell of morning showers / rain, drying out for a time then showers develop in the afternoon, once again some may be heavy with thunderstorms then clearing in the evening.

The odd shower for much of the western North Island on Wednesday, mainly sunny for the east coast. Expect showers for most South Island regions on Wednesday, rain may be heavy in the morning for North Westland and about the far south.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz