Situation

A high pressure system covers most of the country today with it’s centre being planted in the Tasman Sea. A front way to the southwest streams out some high cloud ahead of it over the South Island.

Rain

Dry for most today however we have a few light showers pushing into the southwestern corner of the country in a westerly drift. East Cape and perhaps Northland may see a shower or two also as an airflow moving around our high moves into these areas.

Temperatures

A fairly average day for the time of year temperature wise, mostly sticking around the mid teens for the South Island and reaching into the late teens for parts of the North Island. Tomorrow has a boost Otago Peninsula north in the east as the flow turns more northwest but it doesn’t last for too long as a cold front develops about the far south in the morning reaching the lower North Island later in the evening.

Winds

Today and most of this coming week don’t see overly strong winds, tomorrow as southwesterlies freshen up for the eastern South Island winds may get strong for a time about coastal areas but that is mostly about it. It’s not till we get to the coming weekend that a system moves in with potentially strong northwesterlies preceding a cold front then changing southwest in behind.

Upcoming potential severe weather

We have to look ahead to the coming weekend when a low moves in from the Tasman joining up with a cold front pushing in from the southwest. As touched on just above strong northwesterlies may develop over the country on Saturday then Sunday the flow changes southwest. Heavy rain may be an issue for some in the west then there is the potential for snow, but at this stage it looks to mostly be up high however we’ll keep apace with any changes in data as we move forward.

Main story image: Satellite 12th May 2025 10:00am. True colour satellite imagery courtesy of the Himawari satellite from Japan Meteorological Agency.