A weakening ridge of high pressure lies over the South Island on Friday, southerlies for the North Island. A front moves onto the lower South Island from afternoon.

Rain or showers for the eastern North Island on Friday, sunny spells out west although showers may move into Northland / northern Auckland at times.

Any morning showers clear Marlborough otherwise mainly dry. Rain moves into Fiordland by midday then pushes a little further north in the evening and overnight. Some rain moves into Southland during the afternoon then Otago in the evening with the passage of a front.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz