Rain continues today along the eastern South Island and lower North Island, coming in from the east with heavy falls. Over the next 48 hours this rain shifts further up the eastern North Island (into Hawke’s Bay) and eases in the lower South Island (eventually easing around Kaikōura).

As the rain moves northwards a colder southerly comes in behind it – bringing gales into Wellington and strong to brisk southerly quarter winds into other parts of NZ as we go into the end of the week.

This weekend high pressure grows – so expect a cold and frosty start for the South Island on Matariki Friday, then lighter winds move over the North Island for the weekend.

Next week kicks off with warmer nor’wester and a change to a westerly flow – that will see drier weather in the east, but heavy West Coast rain.