New Zealand Weather: Wet for most, chilly for the south

Unsettled spring weather continues across the country today, thanks to a Tasman Sea low across the North Island and a cold front moving on to the South Island.

The slow-moving low arrived overnight, bringing rain and showers to much of the North Island and the top of the South Island, with heavy rain watches in place in parts of both islands today, MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said.

Those are the Kaikōura ranges and north Canterbury, Nelson ranges west of Motueka, Mt Taranaki, the central North Island high country and the eastern Bay of Plenty ranges, and western Gisborne.

There was also a risk of thunderstorms in the top half of the North Island, especially in Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Taihape, this afternoon and evening, Coutts said.

Temperatures would be mild in the north - Auckland was expecting 21C, Hamilton 20C and Tauranga 23C, while Wellington would reach 16C.

At the same time, a cold front was coming up the South Island, bringing rain, showers and - in some places above 600 metres - snow.

Road snowfall warnings are in place for several South Island alpine passes, with rain expected to turn to snow early this morning on the Crown Range, Lindis, Arthur's and Porters' passes, and during this morning in Lewis Pass.

The front eases during the day before moving off to the east of the island, Coutts said.

It'll be a cold late-spring day - 14C is forecast in Christchurch and 13C in Dunedin.

Much of the country gets waves of wet weather this weekend, with Heavy Rain possible for parts of the North Island and upper South Island tonight into tomorrow🔸
See full details at https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^MM pic.twitter.com/Y7pRSiqZVH

— MetService (@MetService) November 6, 2020

Conditions would be similar tomorrow and Tuesday, with heavy rain possible in the east of the North Island and gale southerlies in the southern part of the island due to a strong southeast flow across central New Zealand.

The South Island would be fine in the west and south, with cloud and some showers possible in the east and north, he said.

The low would move away by the middle of the week, bringing relief for those tired of the sometimes sticky weather in the north.

"[There'll be] a southwest flow, so it'll be cooler and drier across the country."