Mixed weather weekend ahead; blustery for some, ideal conditions for others

It will be a windy autumn weekend for some. Photo / File

It'll be a mixed bag for the weather this weekend, and depending on which part of the country you're in, you could just be getting near perfect autumn days.

But for southern and central New Zealand, especially in the coastal parts of Southland and Otago, expect another bout of strong winds and gale westerlies.

MetService meteorologist Andy Downs said weather conditions "looked ideal" for the Hawke's Bay International Marathon on Saturday, with fine weather and highs of between 18 and 19C.

"The good news for people in the northern and eastern parts of the country, including Wellington, is that this westerly wind flow shelters them from any showers, bringing a mostly settled, although breezy weekend."

Strong west to southwest winds over the far south of the South Island will make for chilly conditions though.

Cooler temperatures are expected, but it would be near normal for this time of year for most places.

Auckland will have a few morning showers on Friday, followed by increasing sunny areas from the afternoon. It will also be mostly sunny in Canterbury, with showers about Banks Peninsula clearing in the afternoon.

The North Island is forecast to be mainly fine on both Saturday and Sunday, with just isolated showers in the west.

Going, going, gone 👋

It’s been a stormy week for many with large swells and strong winds. But a more settled end to the work week is expected as a ridge of high pressure builds from the Tasman Sea.

The waves will gradually ease overnight and continue to do so on Friday 🌊 pic.twitter.com/0rVKguxCjF

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) May 16, 2019

It will be rainy however in the west and south of the South Island on Saturday morning, and a showery Sunday morning in the same areas.

MetService is asking boaties and people considering fishing from the rocks in western and southern coasts "to take extra care", where large southwest swells are expected to continue through the weekend.

West-southwest gales are also expected to hit Southland and Otago coasts on both Saturday and Sunday.

Today's weather

WhangāreiCloudy periods, chance morning shower. Southwesterlies. 19C high, 9C overnight.

Auckland
Cloudy periods, isolated showers clearing afternoon. Southwesterlies. 17C high, 8C overnight.

Hamilton
Morning cloud and chance shower, then fine. Southwesterlies, light in the morning. Cloudy periods, chance morning shower. Southwesterlies. 15C high, 1C overnight.

Tauranga
Morning cloud, then fine. Southwesterlies, light at night. 16C high, 6C overnight.

New Plymouth
Cloudy periods, and a few morning showers possible. Southerlies, light from afternoon.
16C high, 5C overnight.

Napier
Fine, apart from chance early shower. Fresh southwesterlies, gradually dying out. 14C high, 2C overnight.

Whanganui
Morning cloud and showers, then becoming fine. Fresh southerlies, light from afternoon. 14C high, 6C overnight.

Wellington
Fine. Fresh southerlies, easing and turning northerly in the evening. 11C high, 7C overnight.

Nelson
Morning and evening cloud, otherwise fine. Southwesterlies, turning northeast for a time in the afternoon. 14C high, 6C overnight.

Christchurch
Fine, apart from a few morning showers about Banks Peninsula. Southwesterlies, tending northerly in the evening. 12C high, 1C overnight.

Dunedin
Cloudy periods. A light shower or two in the morning. Southwesterlies turning northwest in the evening. 12C high, 8C overnight.