Weather

The heavy downpours which have brought flooding to parts of Auckland and Wellington have not hit farming areas most desperate for rain, Federated Farmers says.

The first significant snowfall of the year is predicted for Otago and Southland tomorrow.

Strong winds buffeting Southland and Otago are beginning to ease, as the wild weather makes its way up to Canterbury.

Thunderstorms, heavy rain and gale force winds are likely to hit the South Island's West Coast this weekend.

The subtropical weather system which brought torrential rain to the Nelson region has abated and been replaced by much more pedestrian weather, MetService says.

Soaked Nelson residents are bracing for more heavy rain this afternoon as authorities study historical slip sites amid the threat of another torrential downpour.

There is a chance the wet weather expected to break the drought for parts of the North Island tomorrow and Tuesday will return by the end of the week, as forecasts hint at an end to the long dry conditions.

It was the warmest March in about 60 years for Wanaka and Cromwell and the driest in Balclutha.

Heavy rain has given some farmers confidence they have now beaten the devastating record drought.

Some drought-stricken areas will start to see some small relief this week as rain is forecast to finally fall on some regions.