Heavy rain for western areas of South Island and fine weather elsewhere

Heavy rain is expected about western parts of the South Island today, including Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound. Photo / James Allan

Heavy rain is expected about western parts of the South Island today while the rest of the country is in for a mostly fine day.

However, from tomorrow most areas of the North Island will be wet with rain from a front moving north that is currently hanging over the South Island.

MetService has a heavy rain warning in place for the Westland Ranges from Otira to Franz Josef Glacier, and for Westland from Franz Josef Glacier southwards.

The same warning was also in place for the headwaters of the Otago rivers and lakes and Fiordland north of Doubtful Sound.

Looking ahead, a front over the South Island moving slowly northeast would weaken over the North Island during Monday and Tuesday, bringing rain to most areas of the North Island.

On Tuesday, a weak cold front should move northeastwards over the South Island, followed by a ridge early Wednesday, MetService said.

Then, an active front was expected to move over the south of the South Island from the southwest on Thursday, bringing rain to the south and west of the South Island with some heavy falls, and strong northwesterlies to eastern areas ahead of the front.

Christchurch was the high today with 21 degrees. 11 for Milford and Waiouru ^JR pic.twitter.com/yTqZyjFMKI

— MetService (@MetService) September 29, 2018

Your weather

Whangarei: Mainly fine. Chance shower from this evening. Northerly breezes.

High 18C Low 10C

Auckland: Fine until afternoon then cloud increasing and a shower or two in the west. Northerly breezes.

High 18C Low 11C

Tauranga: Fine until afternoon then cloudy periods. Northwest breezes.

High 17C Low 10C

Whanganui: A fine morning, then high cloud increasing. Northwesterlies.

High 18C Low 10C

Napier: Fine with high cloud. Northwest breezes.

High 18C Low 8C

Wellington: Cloudy spells, chance shower or two. Northerlies strengthening.

High 15C Low 11C

Christchurch: Extensive high cloud. Fresh northerlies.

High 17C Low 7C

Dunedin: Rain clearing morning, then gradually becoming fine. Light winds.

High 13C Low 8C