'A lot more fresh air' brings relief from humidity for parts of country

Heavy rain watches are in place for the likes of Nelson and Buller from Friday through Saturday, says the MetService.

Areas affected included Nelson northwest of Motueka, Buller west of Reefton, the Richmond and Bryant ranges, including the Rai Valley, and the ranges of Westland, south of Otira.

In the North Island, Mount Taranaki was also expected to get heavy rain with possible thunderstorms on Friday.

MetService said rainfall amounts are likely to exceed the yellow heavy rain watch criteria and an orange warning may be issued closer to the time.

Meanwhile, parts of the North Island can expect humid, muggy weather once again on Wednesday, but it will have eased up a little since Christmas and Boxing Day.

Forecaster Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said the switch up was from a frontal system making its way across the motu.

"The northern parts of the country could still be feeling a little bit of that humidity, but for the lower half of the North Island and for much of the South Island, a lot more fresh air is what we're expecting for today."

Temperatures were higher in the northern and eastern parts of the North Island than the South Island on Wednesday, with Tauranga reaching 22.7 degrees Celsius.

MetService's Wednesday forecast shows regions from Northland through to Nelson, Buller and Westland may experience isolated showers in the morning, but there may be some heavy rain for Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Taupo in the afternoon.

Upper and eastern parts of the North Island have had to contend with severe storm watches and warnings earlier this week.

Thursday's forecast shows a few showers in the east of the North Island and from Taihape northwards, otherwise becoming fine. For the South Island, it is expected to be partly cloudy in the east, mainly fine elsewhere, but rain developing in the evening for Fiordland and Westland.