Welcome to 2013 and from all the team here at WeatherWatch.co.nz  we wish you a Happy New Year and a wonderful year ahead.

Wind and rain over the south are prominent features today and this is a significant event for holidaymakers in western and inland areas of the South Island.

Heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to continue to roll through the West Coast and alpine areas of the Mainland with big and blustery winds likely across inland areas.

Warnings were issued yesterday by the Government Forecaster MetService and much of the south and west of the Mainland have reached warning criteria.

Further north winds will be noticeable and a change in the weather becoming more obvious for Nelson and the southwest corner of the North Island.

Weatherwatch.co.nz will update the situation later this morning.

WeatherWatch.co.nz