A westerly airflow lies over the North Island on Wednesday while northwesterlies strengthen over the South Island, a front pushes onto the lower South Island in the evening then further north overnight.

For Northland expect a mix of sun and cloud with westerly winds. Elsewhere over the North Island can expect mostly cloudy skies, showers develop in the morning then clear late afternoon / evening. Auckland is a little 50/50 so may only pick up a few passing showers in the afternoon.

Wellington clears to some sun from afternoon.

The South Island’s West Coast sees any early rain clear to some sun for a time, patchy showers again from afternoon with rain moving into South Westland. Rain becoming heavy in the south during the evening then moving northwards overnight.

The South Island’s east coast sees any early showers clear to mostly sunny conditions, some high cloud thickening about Otago from afternoon then further north later in the day. A few spots of rain may affect the far south from afternoon then further north overnight.

Northwesterly winds will be gusty for most places during the day however overnight is when winds become strong with a risk of winds gusting to gale about coastal Southland, inland Canterbury, Marlborough and about the Cook Strait area.

Not all regions and towns have been mentioned above. For specific 10 day information for your city, town, rural community or island please see the 1500 forecasts on our homepage!

– Aaron Wilkinson, WeatherWatch.co.nz