A big high currently over New Zealand isn’t going anywhere fast predicts WeatherWatch.co.nz.

The large anticyclone, which at one stage was bigger than Australia, should hold steady over the country for at least the next four days, despite being challenged by lows in the Southern Ocean.

With the exception of Southland the entire country should be in for a dry week as the high pushes off rain bearing fronts from all directions.

It’s possible a few light showers, caught up in the low cloud trapped under the high (called anticyclonic gloom) may create a few isolated light showers here and there, mainly near the Tasman Sea, but overall the next four days look dry.

Southland will have some patchy rain or showers off and on this week as Southern Ocean fronts fire up towards New Zealand, however with such a strong high in charge over the central part of the country those fronts are unlikely to even make it into northern Southland, let alone Otago and further north.

By Friday a low in the Tasman Sea is likely to move towards the country bringing widespread rain, however the timing and exact size of this low is still uncertain.  We’ll update you again tomorrow morning with the latest on this low.

Image / Recent “Cotton Wool” clouds, Jo Ottey

– WeatherWatch.co.nz