A front that brought a huge thunderstorm to Melbourne and dramatic weather to Sydney this week will today cross the North Island but you may hardly notice it.

After leaving Australia on Wednesday the front has run into trouble, in the form of high air pressure over the Tasman Sea.   Like a human trying to run in a swimming pool the front has struggled with the high air pressure and has weakened to the point of disintegration.

Today it will produce cloudy periods and a few showers along the western half of the North Island but will completely lack any of the oomph it once had.

Meanwhile eastern areas should remain mostly sunny but some heavy showers are possible around the Hawkes Bay ranges this afternoon.

The weather on Sunday looks drier and more settled, as does Monday, ahead of a windy westerly change that will spread over New Zealand on Tuesday and Wednesday and may last for several days.

This new westerly change could significantly bump the temperatures up along the eastern coastline while bringing cloudier and wetter weather to western areas, especially south of about Taranaki.

– Homepage image / Dave Smart, Classic Hits Wellington

– WeatherWatch.co.nz