MetService has issued a Heavy Rain Watch for parts of western South Island with a front that moves north over the Island today while the rest of the country remains largely dry. This theme will continue most of the week with any fronts affecting the country keeping south of Cook Strait until Friday.

MetService meteorologist April Clark says, “The West Coast and southern parts of Buller are in for a wet 24 hours as a front stalls over the area this afternoon and evening before weakening and sinking south to sit over Fiordland in the second half of Tuesday. The second bout of widespread rain forecast for the west of the South Island occurs on Thursday as a second front rapidly moves north."

Elsewhere, things are generally looking dry this week. Cloud and a few showers are forecast for the upper North Island (including Gisborne and the Hawkes Bay) on Tuesday and Wednesday which means that it won’t be ideal for hanging out the washing but it’s certainly not the persistent rain needed to make a difference for drought-stricken areas.

The front over the South Island on Thursday is expected to push north of Cook Strait on Friday and will bring scattered rain to southern and western areas of the North Island. However, at this stage, models are signalling that the rain will not be heavy as the front moves north.

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