New Zealand has had a wild September so far with at least three significant spring weather events – a dramatic wind storm in Canterbury two weeks ago, significant thunderstorms in Wellington, Auckland, New Pylmouth and Whangarei this past weekend – and of course the storm that hit the upper North Island this week.

But now the weather pattern is easing back – just a bit.

For the next few days New Zealand is peppered with rain, showers, sun, wind and calm – and most of it looks set to be well below the “severe” threshold.  Next week looks even more settled.

The sub-tropical storm has now gone and is now a weakening low pressure system to our east. Behind it we have the windier westerly flow.

Westerly flows of air bring more cloud and showers to the west, more rain to the West Coast, and windy weather to places like central New Zealand and Auckland.

However it can bring very warm, very sunny, weather to the east of both islands and to anyone east of main ranges.

For Friday a low near Firodland will spark some heavy downpours on the West Coast.  It’s only a narrow band of rain or showers further north though. There is the chance of a few thunderstorms but nothing severe at this stage.

Saturday is windy and wet for many parts of the South Island while the North Island has showers and westerlies and sunny spells.

On Sunday the windy wet weather moves into the North Island and eases in the South Island.

And here’s the good news – next week most of northern New Zealand will be under a ridge of high pressure and further south a westerly flow. Meaning that, apart from the West Coast, next week looks a lot sunnier or at least drier, for many of our main centres.

– Homepage image / Sunset looking west into the Tasman Sea where our weather will be mostly coming from this weekend / Chris Johnson

– By Philip Duncan, WeatherWatch.co.nz