Updated 11:19am Saturday —  

Saturday:
A cold front is slowly moving north over the upper North Island. The front is narrow and patchy – with saturating downpours mixed in with drizzle. Rain is likely in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and East Cape. Heaviest downpours look to be over Northland this afternoon, then easing by evening. North Auckland may also see some heavy downpours early this afternoon as the front slowly clears the region. The South Island is mostly dry all day – but a few showers are possible in southern Westland and Fiordland.

Sunday:  
On Sunday the northern front will be mostly out at sea over the Pacific Ocean but a few showers may linger in coastal areas like East Cape in the morning, and maybe down towards Mahia Peninsula…won’t be much though.  In the South Island patchy rain affects the West Coast and perhaps a few areas in the east, like Canterbury may see an isolated shower or two – otherwise dry. Some patchy drizzle or light rain may form around the foothills further in the east – but it’s a bit 50/50.

Labour Day Monday:
High pressure pushes in across some of New Zealand.  In the North Island there may be some drizzle about the northern half in the morning, then in the afternoon some heavy showers may develop inland around the North Island ranges between Auckland and Palmerston North.  In the South Island nor’west winds build as the day goes on – making for a warm day in the east and inland. Clouds thicken later in the day with heavy rain in Fiordland spilling over into parts of Southland and Westland, possibly into the Lakes District too by late afternoon or evening. Winds will rise to gale with severe gale even a possibility in the more exposed areas late in the day. 

Tuesday AM:
A burst of rain with colder, windier, south to south west winds moves up NZ as a cold front heads north, lying around Cook Strait at noon.

 – Image / File, Peter Shone

– WeatherWatch.co.nz