Heavy rain will continue for parts of Canterbury and Marlborough over the next day or two and it will gradually slide into the lower eastern North Island and move northwards as we go through this week – with a polar airflow coming up the country over the days ahead.

Snow will again fall on the mountains and ranges of the South Island and then into the mountains and ranges of the lower half of the North Island later this week.

As we go into Matariki and the long weekend skies dry out further as high pressure from Tasmania moves in and crosses NZ – bringing lighter winds for the country. Still a few showers here and there but a big improvement on where we are now, even if a bit colder.

But by Monday a westerly change will arrive as that high pressure zones moves out east over the Chatham Islands.