The weekend is upon us and the forecast is a bright one for most places – at least to begin with.  A large high remains in charge of the nation’s weather today and will do the same on Saturday.

However by Sunday a rain band will move into the lower western South Island and may also bring showers and clouds into Southland and parts of Otago.

In the North Island on Sunday those easterlies will strengthen – and they’re likely to remain for much of the coming week in the north.

There are some big sub-tropical rain bands too – but a question mark remains over whether or not that rain will make it to land or remain just offshore.