A front moves off the upper North Island this afternoon, a west to southwesterly airflow lies over most of the country in behind the front. A strengthening Northwesterly airflow develops over the South Island on Saturday with a front moving in during the afternoon, meanwhile a ridge gradually weakens over the North Island. A front pushes over the North Island on Sunday, westerlies for the rest of New Zealand.

Friday

Yellow – Temperatures reaching into the mid to late 20’s in the afternoon for parts of the eastern and upper North Island. Temperatures around 24 or 25 degrees in the afternoon for Marlborough.

Saturday

Blue – Heavy rain moves onto South Westland in the afternoon reaching North Westland in the evening.

Purple – Strong to gale northeasterly winds develop about coastal Fiordland in the afternoon. Strong northerlies through Cook Strait from afternoon, gusting to gale at times. Inland about the alpine region of the South Island north to northwesterly winds become gusty from afternoon.

Yellow – High’s in the mid to late 20’s for eastern and northern New Zealand in the afternoon.

Sunday

Blue – From late morning heavy rain pushes into Fiordland, moving northwards along the West Coast during the afternoon. Easing later in the evening. Some heavy rain about the upper North Island midday onwards, eases in the evening.

Purple – Northwesterlies about coastal parts of the upper North Island in the west, brisk to strong then easing in the evening. Northwesterlies strong through Cook Strait all day, gusting to gale at times. Brisk to strong northwesterlies for all of the eastern South Island from afternoon, easing a touch in the evening.

Yellow – Temperatures getting into the high 20’s during the afternoon for parts of eastern New Zealand, mid 20’s for Northland.

– Please note, the idea behind this update is to focus on the main weather highlights, which is why not all regions are mentioned. 

For specific 10 day information for your city, town, rural community or island please see the 1500 forecasts on our homepage!

– Aaron Wilkinson, WeatherWatch.co.nz