Weather: Wet and thundery for most of the country

A surfer walks along Bethells Beach, in West Auckland, on a cold dull day. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Wrap up warm as the winter weather settles in throughout the country overnight - a front over the Tasman Sea is forecasted to move north tonight, bringing thunderstorms in the early morning.

Luckily, rugby league fans attending the Tonga v Kiwis test were expected to miss the thunderstorms. Instead, fans at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland can expect a cloudy 13C with slight westerly and northerly winds.

But tomorrow, MetService meteorologist Andy Best says most parts of the North Island will face a burst of heavy rain and gales.

The Far North - Cape Reinga and surrounding areas - will bear the brunt of it, fronting a chance of small tornadoes.

Aucklanders should get their raincoats and brollies ready, as an estimated 10mm of rain is due to hit before midday tomorrow. The afternoon westerly gales will ease the rain to about 2mm for the remainder of the day, which will reach a high of 13C.

Don't forget your ☂️ if you're in the upper North Island on Sunday. A front will bring periods of rain that may be briefly heavy, especially across Northland and Auckland.

In the animation, note the tell-tale clockwise spin of low pressure moving off the Tasman Sea. pic.twitter.com/DF6jlRhvWB

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 22, 2019

The chances of thunderstorms for the rest of New Zealand are low, as the front leaves the South Island. They can expect low temperatures, especially in inland areas.

Best warns New Zealanders should be extra careful on the road this week as morning fog and low clouds are for most of the week. In Hamilton, the fog is to hit as early as this evening, however, Rotorua and Tauranga will likely have the lowest visibility next week.

For the working week ahead, a broad ridge of high pressure is forecast to push eastwards from the Tasman Sea across much of New Zealand bringing settled but cool weather.

Here are the expected minimum temperatures over the next few days.

It's definitely late nite cocoa time!^AB pic.twitter.com/OYBvlYAOYq

— MetService (@MetService) June 21, 2019

The complex weather will hit just after the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere – the day of the year with the least daylight. Invercargill got just eight and a half hours today, which is seven hours less than on the summer solstice in December.

And on a brighter note - after a run of wet weather, the Black Caps look set to enjoy a balmy 21C and a little cloud for their match against the West Indies on Saturday 1.30pm UK time and Sunday 12.30am NZ time, in Manchester.