Blue skies are appearing across most parts of the country today as a high spreads in from the west pushing frontal cloud in the east back out to sea.

Skies have cleared along the South Island’s east coast however cloudy conditions remain over North Island’s southern and eastern regions.

The clearing skies and light winds means temperatures will plummet tonight with frosts likely right across the country as far north as Waikato. 

However there’s only about 24 hours of the sunny weather left before the country is sandwiched between two systems:  A low in the south and a deep low in the north. 

A weak front should reach Southland Friday afternoon while in the north cloud will spill down from the sub-tropics.  The sub-tropical low is expected to deepen rapidly over the weekend bringing strong winds to northern New Zealand.  WeatherWatch.co.nz says the low will make stormy conditions at sea north of Bay of Plenty this weekend but is waiting for more data and computer models before issuing a detailed land forecast.

At this stage rain or showers are likely to affect northern New Zealand on either Saturday night or across Sunday with a strengthening south easterly flow – which may rise to gale force at times between late Saturday and early Monday.

We’ll have more information this evening on the sub-tropical low so check back.