A low is moving into NZ over the next 24 hours and with it a surge of gales and a burst of rain for both main islands. In fact it’s the upper North Island’s turn to get some rain going into Friday along with the upper South Island – two large areas that perhaps need the rain the most.

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By Saturday the low is in Cook Strait and weakening – but will bring a surge of windy westerlies to the upper western North Island (and warm nor’westers to the eastern North Island). At the same time a southerly change moves up the South Island.

On Sunday and into next week high pressure is nearby to NZ, bringing showers but a generally drier and more settled pattern.