Issued Thursday 19 August 3.40pm next update 5.30pm

Short Forecast issued by Weather Workshop valid to midnight tomorrow:

From Northland and Wellington: also for the central Plateau: Cloud increasing. Drizzle from Taranaki south overnight turning to widespread rain during tomorrow with northwest gales about Wellington.

Bay of Plenty and from Gisborne to Wairarapa: Fine at first. Cloudy periods tomorrow. Rain about the ranges south of the Manawatu Gorge and northwest gales about Wairarapa.

Nelson and Marlborough: Cloud increasing. Rain spreading to most places tomorrow. Heavy falls in the northwest ranges.

South Island west coast: Rain working into most areas with heavy falls south of Hokitika from tonight. During tomorrow rain gradually easing to showers from the south.

In the east from Marlborough to Southland: Cloud thickening with rain developing about the western ranges. Northwest gales overnight from inland Canterbury to Southland. Tomorrow some rain in most places briefly. A southwest change slowly working north later.

Chatham Islands: The odd shower with cloudy skies.

END

(c) Copyright Weather Workshop Limited 1999