A low slowly brews in the Tasman Sea and approaches the west of the country on Friday.

For the upper North Island expect sunny areas and thickening high cloud, there may be a touch of fog to start about the Waikato. Showers about the Bay Of Plenty clear away during the afternoon then high cloud thickens.

Thickening high cloud for the lower North Island in the west, there may be a few areas of sun in the morning. Winds from the west or northwest. Some cloud about Napier northwards in the east breaks away around midday then expect thickening high cloud, high cloud gradually increases elsewhere for the east of the North Island.

Mostly cloudy for the West Coast of the South Island, some sun possible at times about South Westland. Showers then some rain moving into North Westland from afternoon. Plenty of high cloud for the upper South Island in the east, winds tend southerly in the afternoon about Canterbury then cloud thickens from evening bringing a chance of drizzle.

Southland and Otago see sunny areas and some high cloud, winds tend south to southwest around midday bringing increasing cloud then a chance of late drizzle.