The weekend is expected to be warm and above average temperature-wise for mid July as winds from the west move back in again. 

Winds from this same direction helped boost temperatures into the low 20s in the first week of July.  However this isn’t a repeat of that first week. 

In the first week of July a surge of westerlies came out of the Southern Ocean and blew across the country for several days.  In this current case we have a new and large low forming between Tasmania and New Zealand – and between that incoming low and a high over the upper North Island we’ll see warmer west to north west winds return over NZ.

The weather pattern this weekend is very slow – the weather will take time to change.  Eastern areas will be warm with highs in the mid to late teens possible.  WeatherWatch.co.nz expects pockets in eastern areas of both islands to even reach 20 degrees.

A slight increase in winds will be welcome for Aucklanders and a raft of other western centres who have endured three days of almost nonstop overcast conditions, called anticyclonic gloom.  This is low cloud trapped under a high with no wind to blow it away.  Western areas can expect plenty of cloud this weekend but hopefully more sunny spells will break through too as a breeze starts to develop.

Fog patches are also expected in northern and western areas this weekend.

But the low will see showers turn to rain on the West Coast this weekend, then rain spreads up the South Island on Monday, crossing the North Island Tuesday.

Wind flows will go from the north or north west this weekend to more westerly around Tuesday then during Wednesday and Thursday of next week colder winds return and temperatures return to where they should be for late July.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says it’s likely another high will arrive in time for next weekend, with the month possibly ending on an unsettled note as another large low comes in for the final days of the month and start of August.

Homepage image / Zelda Wynn

– WeatherWatch.co.nz