Your weather: Fine day for most of New Zealand, rain hitting West Coast

The fine weather run is to continue for most after another unseasonably chilly start to the day.

MetService meteorologist Kyle Lee said it was another chilly night with temperatures below average for many with calm conditions and clear skies.

The coldest spot at 5am was Waiouru in the central North Island. Taupō got down to 5.5C and Hamilton 6.4C.

Auckland was edging back to normal on 11.7C, but still well below the low 20s of late.

Lee said today temperatures would return to summer conditions after a cooler few days for most with fine weather forecast.

How long will the cooler than average weather last❓

🌬️ Another chilly southerly arrives Wednesday-Thursday.
🌡️ Turning warmer next week.
☀️ Warm (and dry) spells linger through the first 10 days of March.
📅 Seasonal outlook for autumn released on Thursday! pic.twitter.com/V3ntXtP15a

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) February 25, 2019

Auckland was in for a fine day, light winds and a high of 23C.

The main action today would be in the South Island, with a front, preceded by a strong and moist northwesterly flow, moving on to the southern spots and the West Coast.

With and behind the front there was a moderate risk of thunderstorms about Stewart Island, Fiordland and Westland from the glaciers south, with a low risk extending slightly further east. Any thunderstorms could be accompanied by heavy rain of 15 to 25mm per hour.

The front could bring showers to coastal parts of the east coast to Canterbury by this evening.

An incredible shot of Mt. Taranaki today taken by Jocelyn Clement. A beautiful day around New Plymouth. Thanks for letting us share Jocelyn. ^MB pic.twitter.com/91sdEjhTjh

— MetService (@MetService) February 25, 2019

Tonight the front would lie over central New Zealand but would have weakened greatly.

By Thursday the front could bring a few showers to southern and western parts of the North Island, as well as dropping temperatures slightly.

A ridge of high pressure would return on Friday bringing another period of mostly settled weather through the weekend.

Today's weather

Whangārei

Fine. Light winds, but afternoon southeast breezes. 24C high, 14C overnight.

Auckland

Fine. Light winds, then southwesterlies from afternoon. 23C high, 16C overnight.

Hamilton

Fine, then cloud increasing evening. Light winds, westerlies from afternoon. 24C high, 12C overnight.

Tauranga

Fine. Light winds, but afternoon sea breezes. 25C high, 15C overnight.

New Plymouth Fine at first, cloud increasing from afternoon ahead of a few showers at night. Light winds, westerlies strengthening afternoon. 21C high, 12C overnight.

Napier Fine. Northerlies, strengthening afternoon. 27C high, 13C overnight.

Whanganui Fine at first, cloud increasing from afternoon. Brief showers at night. Westerlies, strengthening. 22C high, 12C overnight.

Wellington Cloudy. Strong northerlies. 20C high, 11C overnight.

Nelson Fine, but high cloud increasing. Northerlies picking up afternoon, changing southwest evening. 24C high, 10C overnight.

Christchurch High cloud increasing with strengthening northerlies. Showers from late afternoon as winds change brisk southwest. 25C high, 7C overnight.

Dunedin A period of rain late morning as northerlies turn strong southwest, then showers, possibly thundery with hail in the afternoon. 19C high, 8C overnight.