Waitangi Weekend is here and the changing weather pattern this summer means good news for some, bad for others. We break down the highlights and lowlights across Aotearoa.

Saturday:
Rain: Patchy rain or showers return to the West Coast (sorry!) during the day. There may be showers around coastal Southland too. Dry elsewhere.
Wind: Mostly light nationwide. A breezy SWer in Auckland and a NNW wind in Wellington.

Sunday:
Rain: Dry across the country, just a bit of rain around Fiordland but much of the West Coast towns looks dry.
Wind: Wellington has brisk Northerlies, also a bit windy in exposed parts of the lower SouthWestern corner of the South Island, making it warmer in Southland and Otago as the day wears on.

Waitangi Day Monday:
Rain: Heavy rain for the West Coast (sorry again!), showers or patchy rain around some parts of Southland and Otago followed by a cooler change.
Wind: Nor’Westers develop across the South Island, central NZ and the eastern North Island. Gusty in Wellington. Very Hot in the east, especially Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.

Main Centre Highlights for the Long Weekend:
Auckland:  Mostly Sunny with a few cloudy areas, highs in the mid 20s
Hamilton:  Mainly Sunny with each day getting warmer into the late 20s.
Tauranga:  Sunny and hot (highs in the late 20s, maybe 30 inland)
Wellington:  Mostly Sunny all weekend, highs around 21.
Christchurch:   Sunny and hot all weekend, Monday’s high 31 degrees.
Dunedin:  Becoming sunnier into the weekend with Sunday reaching 27 degrees under mainly sunny skies.

Main Centre Lowlights for the Long Weekend:
Auckland:  SW winds may be a little breezy at times, perhaps dragging in a bit of cloud.
Hamilton:  SW winds may be a little breezy, also Fri & Sat nights a little cooler with lows around 11 or 12.
Tauranga:  To be honest, we can’t find anything negative – other than people who don’t like what we consider Tauranga’s highlights (ie, you want it cooler or wetter!)
Wellington:  Mostly windy all weekend, especially on Monday.
Christchurch:  Hot and dry for farmers (but granted that may be a positive for many this long weekend!)
Dunedin:  A few showers on Monday will be followed by a much cooler SW change into the afternoon and evening.

Waitangi Day MONDAY Main Weather Features across NZ:
Waitangi:  Stunning! 28 degrees, Sunny.
Hahei/Hot Water Beach:  Sunny, high 29 degrees
Taupo:  Sunny, 26 degrees.
Gisborne:   Hot! 34 degrees
Napier: Hot! 35 degrees
New Plymouth:  You have a 20s theme: 22 degs, 20% chance of rain, 20km/h NW
Hokitika:  90% chance of heavy rain, high of 19 degs
Invercargill:  Some rain with a brisk WNW wind developing.

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Aucklanders are in for a repeat performance over Waitangi Weekend after Auckland Anniversary last weekend – View is Rangitoto Island from the Kohimarama beach Uploaded to WeatherWatch.co.nz by: Ian Ray Date: Mon 29th Jan, 2017 

– WeatherWatch.co.nz