A cold front is today crossing the North Island with patchy rain, drizzle patches, downpours and dry spells. The front will clear the island later today as a colder change moves up the South Island.

On Wednesday things start to warm back up again for the South Island as westerlies return, with severe gales possible in both main islands for a time going into Thursday – ahead of the next cold change on Thursday and Friday.

This weekend high pressure rolls over the country bringing warmer, sub-tropical, nor’westers as we end the weekend and kick off next week.

We have North Island and South Island rainfall maps for the next 7 days to make sense of it all.