A significant cool down is coming on Friday and Saturday to many parts of the country that have been sweltering well above normal this week. As the heatwave continues for some regions today a southerly change on Friday will put an end to areas experiencing well above normal temperatures across every day this week.

The biggest drop looks to be in the South Island where parts of Central Otago may drop as much as 14 degrees from where they are today. Around Nelson and Marlborough and Canterbury expert a drop of 10 to 12 degrees from where you were earlier this week. It may not be a clear cut change, others may notice Friday ends cooler and Saturday is overall cooler.

The North Island is also affected, but not everyone in the north will notice it. The most noticeable region to be affected by the cooler change will be Hawke’s Bay which on Monday reached the mid 30s but this Saturday some coastal areas will only reach 19 or 20.

Further north and you may notice the slightly cooler change this weekend but you also may not – it depends on how sensitive you are, because the temperatures won’t be dropping much but the humidity may drop a little for a day or so. This is because the front runs out of energy before it reaches the north, much like a crashing wave runs up the beach but stops short of the high tide mark. So the northern quarter of NZ mostly misses out on this cooler flow although some, especially in the east, may still feel a little drop. The general wind flow in northern NZ this weekend will be drifting from the S to SE which is also a hot direction in Summer – but probably not quite so humid.

Most places are hot again by Monday and Tuesday as more nor’westers come back – but Waitangi Day looks cool, if not cold, for some southern places as the next cold front arrives. Highs may only just break the teens there.

WATCH THE HEAT MELT AWAY:
TODAY/THURSDAY:

TOMORROW/FRIDAY:

SATURDAY:

– Maps by Weathermap.co.nz

– WeatherWatch.co.nz