Mostly sunny over the North Island today with north to northeasterly breezes, some cloud at times increasing later in the day with rain in western areas later overnight towards dawn on Saturday. High cloud will increase over the lower half of the Island during the day and northwesterlies will freshen about Wellington. A few brief showers may move through Kapiti, Wellington and the Wairarapa around the middle of the day also.

Cloudy on the West Coast of the South Island with rain south of Greymouth becoming heavy from evening, showers further north of Greymouth turning to rain at night. Expect brisk north to northeasterly winds. Thick high cloud about Nelson with a few brief showers possible late morning, sunny areas for a time in the afternoon with northwesterlies freshening, becoming cloudy again later in the evening with showers at night.

Dry mostly in Canterbury and Marlborough with breezy northerlies, a few brief spots of rain possible around midday then sunny areas develop for a time in the afternoon. Southerlies develop in Canterbury later in the evening then rain there later overnight. Mostly cloudy skies for Southland and Otago with light winds, the odd brief shower at times. Inland western parts of Central Otago can expect rain. In the evening southerlies develop with widespread rain, Southland may only stick to showery type weather from evening.

Temperatures reaching the low 20’s today on the east coast and north of Auckland. High teen temperatures elsewhere although 16 to 17 for Wellington and parts of the Central North Island.

Mid to high teen temperatures today about Canterbury through to Nelson. 13 to 14 degrees can be expected about the West Coast, Southland and Otago.

WeatherWatch.co.nz