A number of cold fronts are moving up the country today; bringing periods of rain and a risk of thunderstorms to the North Island - including Auckland.
MetService said a cold front over Fiordland / southern Westland this morning is set to move north and will reach the upper NorthIsland overnight.
People in those areas are being told to be prepared for a period of rain and localised thunderstorms to western parts as a result.
Colder temperatures are also expected in some areas.
Aucklanders are in for a 22C high today and an overnight low of 14C. Gusts of up to 31km/h are forecast in the City of Sails.
Tomorrow morning is not all sunshine, unfortunately, for those in Auckland - with morning showers on the forecast.
A cold front currently sitting over Fordland/southern Westland moves north today, reaching the upper North Island (that's you #Auckland) overnight tonight bringing a period of rain & localised thunderstorms to western areas. For more details: https://t.co/hnwmGxCqpj ^AC pic.twitter.com/S80xDvKwpa
There is a possibility those showers may be heavy at times; but they are set to clear in the afternoon before becoming fine. A high of 19C and overnight low of 13C is forecast in Auckland tomorrow.
The risk of thunderstorms is heightened later this evening and tonight in the lower western parts of the North Island; which could see heavy rainfalls of between 10 to 22mm/h, hail and gusts of up to 90km/h.
The place to be is Gisborne and Hawke's Bay - where it is mainly fine today. Wairarapa and Wellington are also the same, but a few showers are expected tomorrow before clearing in the afternoon or evening.
Cold fronts heading north will bring rain and a risk of thunderstorms to Auckland. Photo / Alex Burton
A high of 18C is forecast for the capital city today.
A "moderate risk" of thunderstorms is forecast for further south - in Fiordland and Westland - including areas of Otago and Canterbury near the Southern Alps.
"A low risk of thunderstorms extends further north to Buller in the morning and about coastal parts of Southland," a MetService spokesman said.
In other parts of New Zealand, a moderate risk of thunderstorms is on the cards for those north of the Glaciers, Buller and western Nelson.
Those thunderstorms could spread to the Horowhenua, Kāpiti Coast, Taranaki, Waitomo and Waikato tonight.
And anyone in North Otago and south Canterbury will need a raincoat this afternoon and evening - with thunderstorms expected this evening.
"In both these areas, any thunderstorm activity will be mainly near the coast," MetService said.
"There is also a lower risk of thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening about Westland south of the Glaciers, Fiordland, Southland, Clutha and Dunedin.
Strong wind watch
A strong wind watch is in place in the Wairarapa area from 2pm to 11pm today.
