It may not be ideal BBQ weather but warmer weather is going to return to all of New Zealand this week but it will be accompanied by strengthening winds and rain.

For the first time this year a deep depression will form in the Tasman Sea bringing a number of unsettled days across the country.

The north to north west flow will start over the country around Tuesday or Wednesday with rain spreading to most places across Wednesday and Thursday.  It’s possible that heavy rain could affect some northern facing regions such as Bay of Plenty or the Nelson ranges as the low taps in to sub-tropical air.

Across northern New Zealand daytime highs will rise in to the mid to late 20s for much of the week with the WeatherWatch.co.nz humidex predicting ‘feels like’ temperatures in the low 30s.  Overnight lows will also be on the rise with temperatures about Auckland and Northland hovering around the late teens or 20 degrees later in the week – coupled with muggy conditions it could make for difficult sleeping.

There’s good news for Northland, which hasn’t seen significant rain for some time, WeatherWatch.co.nz is predicting “good rainfalls” on Thursday for dry farms, gardens and water tanks. 

The wind flow will also see eastern areas climbing back into the late 20s or early 30s thanks to the nor’westers. 

On Saturday Lower Hutt and Masterton reached just 12 degrees challenging the record books for the coldest January highs.  The cold southerly was gale force across Wellington and Taranaki but this week will be replaced by strengthening northerlies or nor’westerlies – and boosting temperatures in to the low 20s.

The east coast of the South Island is also in for warmer weather.  It’s been so cold across Canterbury at night lately that some have resorted to lighting fires again, while further south and inland centres like Alexandra have been reaching almost 30 degrees.

And it’s good news for Southland – the run of cold, windy, weather has eased and a few more calmer, warmer, days are on the way.  However winds will pick up again mid-week as the deep Tasman low moves across the region bringing rain to the area followed by strong sou’westers.