A sizeable low pressure system in the Tasman Sea is today and tonight crossing New Zealand bringing wind and rain.

It was a blustery night for northern New Zealand as downpours set in. This morning the rain band has mostly cleared Auckland but is lingering in some eastern areas. This first front will slowly continue to to track eastwards today.

The centre of the low itself won’t be crossing New Zealand until overnight tonight though – and as the centre comes in so too do the windy west to north west conditions behind this main front and more rain and showers.

By Noon Thursday the centre of this once Tasman Sea low will be weakening and lying just east of Wairarapa and Hawke’s Bay after tracking through northern Cook Strait and the lower North Island/central NZ area in the early hours.

THE APPROACHING COLD BLAST
On Thursday PM an entirely new weather system from the Southern Ocean will spread much colder air over Southland and Otago.  

But the main event for cold hits on Friday PM and across Saturday as the Antarctic blast finally arrives. That’s when the southerly surge rushes northwards up the South Island and into the North Island with temperatures tumbling everywhere.  

Not one part of New Zealand will escape a temperature drop from the cold change this weekend.

Snow may fall in Queenstown and Dunedin on Friday or early Saturday, with light flurries to low levels. Cold rain and sleet may be heavy for a time too in Southland and Otago. Alpine Highways are likely to be impacted for a time. 

The cold change races northwards overnight Friday and over Saturday brings snow showers to the Desert Road and the Rimutaka Ranges.

We’ll have a clearer time line on Thursday as this cold change starts to move in – and more details too.

Also – look out for our next weather video update out soon.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz