Warm winds, mostly from the northerly quarter, are now starting to build over the South Island ahead of a number of cold fronts expected on Sunday.

While it wasn’t an especially hot day in the south today temperatures aren’t predicted to drop a lot overnight tonight in the deep south as winds start to pick up.

In Canterbury the winds may not set in until tomorrow so while a cold night is predicted tonight a warm to hot day is on the way tomorrow with highs in the mid 20s expected for many.

Heavy rain will spread up the West Coast with a series of brief rain bands pushing into Southland and later on Otago. Canterbury is likely to remain dry.

Make the most of the warm weather, a low next week east of Canterbury is likely to drive in cold winds from the southerly quarter and heavy rain about North Canterbury, with rain warnings possible predicts WeatherWatch.co.nz. 

In the North Island those northerlies will become strong in Wellington with mostly dry conditions across the island apart from a few isolated showers here and there.

Homepage image / Christchurch, David Shone