Thursday marks the start of winter in the Meteorological calendar then by Friday we kick off our last long weekend until October. The forecast for the long weekend is a big complicated, due to a very large low pressure system tracking just north of New Zealand but swiping the North Island with some wet and cloudy weather as it does so.

But the varying wind directions and daily changes to the lows and highs means New Zealanders can expect a variety of weather over the long weekend – with plenty of dry spells too.

Wettest areas look to be the north and east of the North Island to begin with, then maybe lingering in some eastern areas.

The South Island, in particular the West Coast, Southland and Otago may have some of the sunniest, driest weather this weekend.

Everywhere should be cooler by Queen’s Birthday Monday too.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz