The rain makers are mostly giving New Zealand a miss this week and the cloudy, gloomy, weather for some western areas should also clear up as winds shift from the west to the east over much of the North Island.

Last weeks rain was hugely welcomed by gardeners and farmers who tell WeatherWatch.co.nz that conditions 10 days ago were drier than they were 12 months ago (ahead of the big drought) – now farmers are smiling as we head towards summer with good grass growth and potentially another rain maker on the horizon before the month is done