A deepening low in the Tasman Sea will drift towards New Zealand while a high anchored just east of the North Island gets nudged further off our shores.

Friday will see rain developing, heavy on the West Coast with showers in other western and northern areas turning to patchy rain later.

Saturday sees large dry areas forming, but still some rain in both the very north and very south west of the nation. Sunday will continue to dry out further as will Monday.

By Tuesday we’re back to the windy, changeable, spring pattern of westerlies