A cold front is slowly moving up New Zealand this weekend – with a pulse of hot nor’westers ahead of it and a change to colder southerlies coming in behind it (cooler again nationwide by Monday).

For the North Island the rainband coming from the west is patchy – with some drizzly light stuff or showers, along with the chance of some more isolated heavier falls. When fronts fall apart in summer rainfall can go either way – it can sometimes be well below what is forecast as it moves further up the country and into higher air pressure… or the rain can break into lumpy showers, some of which can be very heavy with thunder. It’s all about a combination of moisture and cloud + sunshine + timing of day.

Put simply, expect a bit of a messy forecast in some regions this weekend as that front moves up the country and falls apart on Sunday. Keep an eye on the rain radar and our hourly data to work out most likely risk times.

By Monday (Auckland and Nelson Anniversaries) the southerly flow will kick in, shifting most cloud and/or wet weather to the eastern North Island (and perhaps Canterbury and coastal Marlborough) and drying out or clearing up the skies for many others.

We have no weather video today, or on Monday, due to Auckland Anniversary Weekend/Monday.

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Maps most relevant today are…

• Live Rain Radar
• Nationwide Temperature Maps
• Any warnings or watches from MetService.

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WeatherWatch.co.nz