Wet start for winter but June should improve as it goes

People brave the rain and wind as they go about their day in the Auckland CDB. Photo / Dean Purcell

Winter's first day is forecast to be wet but the weather should improve as June progresses.

Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch said lots of rain in western areas and the odd Antarctic cold snap were expected early in the month.

"There is really no indication things are going to change much from the past two months," he said. "It is not out of the ordinary for this time of year but it is different from the past few years. We seem to be getting a few of these southerlies coming through a bit more regularly."

Auckland and Northland face a wet start, with showers and heavy rain for the first few days this week, before clearing towards the end of the week.

June's second week is shaping up to be drier in the main for the North Island, though winds are expected to strengthen about June 12, after a small subtropical low moves in at the start of the week.

A largely dry end to the month is expected as a high-pressure system hits the north.

"Northern ... temperatures are going to be fairly mild. Cold spells are fairly short-lived and [then] you are back to general trends of average to above average temperatures," Mr Duncan said.

For the east - Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa - June is expected to start off fairly dry, though showers are possible for parts of the Wairarapa at times.

But the west - Taranaki, Manawatu, Wanganui and Horowhenua - is in for a wet start. Rain and showers are due to affect most places until June 10, then it is expected to be dry and windy.

Wellingtonians should see a mild start, with northerly winds, cooling with a southerly on Thursday night.

South Islanders can expect a cold start with patchy showers, drizzle and brief rain, changing to very cold weather from Antarctica, with snow and hail.