A ridge lies over the North Island on Friday, expect a northwesterly airflow further south with a front moving onto the lower South Island. A return to mainly anticyclonic conditions on Saturday however there may be some instability for the South Island in the afternoon / evening. A potential for more unstable conditions on Sunday, this time with a chance of thunderstorms and isolated heavy downpours.

Friday

Blue – A front may bring some heavy rain to Fiordland for a time today, easing from later this evening.

Yellow – A warm day for the east of the South Island and much of the North Island. Temperatures in the mid twenties at least, high twenties to early thirties for the South Islands east coast.

Saturday

Blue – Isolated showers develop for the east of the South Island and lower North Island (inland) in the afternoon, some may become heavy even with the risk of a thunderstorm then clearing later on. The thunderstorm risk is on the low side.

Yellow – Temperatures reaching into the mid to late twenties for much of the eastern and southern South Island, also for a few North Island areas, especially inland just away from the coast and any sea breezes.

Sunday

A frontal system moving northwards over the South Island may trigger heavy showers and thunderstorms as it moves northwards during the day, more so in the east. A region of instability may also affect from the Waikato through to the Manawatu bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms late afternoon / evening. Another warm day on the cards with high’s in the mid to late twenties for many, cooling down as a southerly change moves northwards over the South Island during the afternoon and evening, not reaching Canterbury till evening.

– 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