High pressure building in off the Tasman Sea will give Kiwis a stretch of dry and comfortable weather this week.

The nice weather should even last into next weekend.

However, there is a fly in the ointment.

A rather potent cold front is expected to sweep across the country late next week.  As it stands right now, the front will move across the South Island late Thursday and early Friday.  It is then expected to move across the North Island during the day on Friday.

That front could be the focusing mechanism for a fair amount of rain.

In fact, heavy rain is a possibility for Southland and the West Coast of the South Island overnight Thursday into Friday morning.  General rain is expected for the rest of the South Island during the same period.  The rain should then move onto the North Island Friday morning and spread from south to north as we go throughout the day.

By Saturday afternoon though, the whole lot clear out and New Zealand should be left with a lovely Saturday and Sunday.  A few isolated showers are possible on Sunday across Canterbury, Tasman, Nelson and Marlboro.

Otherwise, it should be a settled weekend next weekend.

From WeatherWatch.co.nz

Photo by Elspeth Nicoll