A cool southwesterly airflow lies over the country today. A westerly quarter airflow lies over New Zealand on Thursday, a cold southwest change hits the lower South Island in the morning moving northwards to reach the lower North Island overnight.

Occasional showers at times for the western North Island today, drier conditions in the east in a west to southwesterly airflow. Some cloud and the odd shower for coastal parts of Southland and parts of the West Coast of the South Island, mostly sunny out east with some high cloud from afternoon or evening.

The odd shower continues at times for the western North Island on Thursday, expect plenty of long dry spells. Dry in the east. Heavy rain moves into Fiordland in the morning reaching North Westland in the afternoon, easing overnight. Rain pushes into Southland late morning reaching Otago in the afternoon and Canterbury in the evening with a fresh southwest change. Overnight rain may become heavy about North Canterbury.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz