WeatherWatch.co.nz
After a hot, dry start to the year, Australia could be in for a drenching over the next three months.
Weatherman Tom Saunders says a pattern of warm seas off the west coast of Indonesia and cool seas off the east coast of Africa - known as a negative Indian Ocean Dipole - will likely make for a wet winter for most of the country.
Head weather analyst Philip Duncan lets us know what to expect in terms of weather this weekend which is shaping up to be a wet one...
The first pulse of polar air is set to hit the country early next week with the risk of hail, thunder, sleet and snow for parts of the country.
Temperatures look to be very chilly and with added windchill it's going to be a real taste of winter.
The weekend is looking fairly average in the main but the following long weekend appears dry for many of us, well particulary the first half.
Farmers, who had to struggle painfully though the first quarter of the year in the worst drought in 50 years, are now seeing relief - especially in the north where heavy rain and warm weather have combined.
An anticyclone moves over the country today from the west bringing mainly sunny and settled conditions, there could be some morning cloud or even the odd early shower in places but they will more then likely clear.
Northland, Auckland
A southwesterly airflow eases over the country tonight with clearing conditions for most, this will result in some cold overnight temperatures for some.
Northland, Auckland
Cloudy spells with the odd shower, cool west to southwest winds. Showers clear towards dawn tomorrow morning.
Lows tonight: 8-11
The tornado in Moore, Oklahoma has now been upgraded to a rare EF5. Tornadoes of EF5 intensity have top winds of over 320kph on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Tornadoes have been in the news for much of the last week but how can they be so damaging and what is the lead up?
Packing winds of up to 320km, the killer tornado that laid waste to Oklahoma on Monday grasped at the deadliest end of what is termed the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale.
More than three quarters of the North Island are seeing showers or bursts of rain this morning whereas the south sees a smattering here and there but only to about 15% of the island.