Weather: Cloud, showers and rain on the way for Auckland, North Island

It was a glorious day to hit the slopes in Queenstown for the first day of Coronet Peak's 2018 ski season yesterday.

Skies were mainly clear, apart from the odd bit of high cloud, and the temperature was mild with a high of 10C.

But the weather will be less favourable across the country today.

MetService meteorologist Josh Griffin said the North Island was experiencing a northwesterly flow, which would bring showers, particularly for western areas.

Thunderstorms were expected in the west from Auckland to Taranaki last night and these could continue during the early morning but should die down at dawn or just after.

The morning will be wet in Auckland but rain should ease to cloudy periods during the afternoon, then showers would start to increase in the evening. MetService is forecasting a high of 18C and a low of 11C for the city.

"As we get closer to the end of the day tomorrow there is another low approaching from the Tasman Sea so some of that shower activity may start to increase again towards evening," said Griffin.