Enjoy the sunshine, we're in for a wet start

An Autumn sunset reflects on the cold wet Auckland CBD. Photo / Nick Reed, New Zealand Herald

Sunshine will see out the rest of the weekend, before a wet start to the week for most of the country.

MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said there were a few showers affecting Northland and Taranaki today, as well as some cloud over the central North Island.

"But it's mostly fine over the Auckland area, Wellington, and also the north and east of the South Island."

Aucklanders were in for a mainly fine day, with some northeast breezes and a high of 16C.

Meanwhile, those in Wellington were enjoying sunshine and a high of 12C, with some strong gusty northerlies.

Mr Glassey said looking forward to the week ahead, a front would spread north over the country through Monday and Tuesday.

"On Monday we're expecting rain to spread on to the South Island and the lower North Island with heavy falls in the west of the South Island.

"Then the rain should spread over the rest of the country on Tuesday."

A brief southerly change would come in behind the front, which would drop temperatures back down.

The front would clear the country on Wednesday, and more fine weather was forecast for the end of the week, Mr Glassey said.

"It's looking mainly fine... for the second half of the week.

"But with the ridge of high pressure coming on it'll bring some fine weather but the mornings could still be quite frosty in some areas."

Tomorrow's forecast

Whangarei: Mainly fine. Northerlies. High 17C Low 11C

Auckland: Mainly fine. Northerlies. High 16C Low 11C

Tauranga: Cloudy periods, chance shower. Northerlies developing. High 15C Low 10C

Hamilton: Mainly fine, cloud increases evening. Northerly breeze. High 16C Low 7C

Wellington: Occasional rain develops morning. Northerly strengthens. High 13C Low 10C

Christchurch: Becoming cloudy, few spots rain. Northeasterly. Late showers with southwesterlies. High 15C Low 4C

(Source: MetService)