Anticyclones have certainly brought a calming presence to our weather in the past couple of weeks but a nasty looking low in the lower Tasman Sea may be set to change all that – at least for a few days.

A long awaited high will finally start to push down over northern New Zealand today bringing slightly calmer conditions in the north and by tomorrow drier, calmer, weather for most places.

In the far South today a cold front will bring yet another southerly change with heavy showers, some may have hail – although we don’t expect a repeat of Tuesday’s hailstorm in Ashburton.

A northerly ahead of this front means Canterbury should have a warm day until the front arrives with temperatures up around 20.

But on Friday heavy rain is likely to build along the West Coast spreading as far north as the lower North Island on Saturday.  Strong to gale nor’westers are also likely meaning more hot, dry, weather for eastern areas from Otago to Gisborne.

Windy and wet weather is likely for northern New Zealand by late Saturday or Sunday. 

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