Similarly rain is expected in Wairarapa and Wellington, while Gisborne and Hawke's Bay avoid the drizzle with fine but cloudy weather.
A deep low over the north Tasman Sea is expected to move southeast across the North Island tomorrow, bringing rain and strong winds, and snow to the Central Plateau.
A trough should move northeast across the country throughout Thursday and early Friday, followed by strong, cold southwesterlies.
Yesterday, WeatherWatch warned the milder weather would turn bleaker and windier as the week wore on, particularly on Friday.
"The set up this week will again produce heavy snow in the mountains and ranges of both islands, heavy rain [mostly North Island] and windy weather nationwide by late week," WeatherWatch predicted.
"The windiest weather later this week looks to hug coastal areas but especially central and eastern areas of both islands on Friday.
"There may be a few power cuts but generally winds look below damaging threshold despite being blustery."
Main centre forecasts today
Whangārei
Cloudy periods increasing, chance evening shower. Northwest breezes. High 18C, low 11C
Auckland
Cloudy periods increasing, chance shower from afternoon. Northwesterlies. High 17C, 11C
Hamilton
Becoming cloudy, a few showers. Northwest breezes. High 16C, 8C
Tauranga
Cloudy periods. Chance shower from afternoon. Westerly breezes. High 16C, 10C
Wellington
A fine morning then cloud increasing. Scattered rain from late afternoon as northwesterly turns lighter southerly. High 15C, 9C
Christchurch
Rain developing morning with a southerly change, then clearing afternoon. High 9C, -1C
Dunedin
Early rain, then fine. Southwesterlies, tending westerly evening. High 8C, 3C
Source: MetService