Fingers crossed for warm Labour Weekend

And the verdict, a week out? Looking good, but still too early to say for sure. Photo / 123RF

Cross your fingers and toes... it's a tentative early forecast for a warm Labour Weekend.

While this weekend looks like a mixed bag of rain followed by sunshine, many of us have been pinning our hopes on the first long weekend for months bringing the first signs of summer.

And the verdict, a week out? Looking good, but still too early to say for sure.

"The general overall feeling we're getting from [the weather models] is, the further the weekend goes on the more that the country - particularly the North Island - is going to be affected by a bit of a ridge of high pressure," Angus Hines, a MetService meteorologist, said.

"But you've got to keep in the back of your mind, it is spring which is the most changeable time of year for New Zealand weather. There could be various features flying through throughout the weekend and the detail is just not there this far out in the future at this stage."

However, the outlook for this weekend was more certain - good in the South Island, but coming a bit late for North Islanders to enjoy a full weekend of settled weather.

"We've got a front which is moving over the country, that's associated with what's been bringing snowfall for the South Island over the last few days and rain to other places, rain to a lot of the North Island [on Friday]," Hines said.

"The rain is going to clear up pretty soon but there are going to be showers persisting, not just around Auckland, around much of the North Island [on Saturday].

There was also a moderate thunderstorm risk for Northland and Auckland for Saturday morning, which could bring some bursts of hail.

"The good news is the country is generally clearing after that," Hines said.

"From south to north, so the South Island will be first in line for some pretty nice weather, and that's pretty much from midday [Saturday] onwards. The South Island is in for a nice weekend.

"The North Island is a little bit behind, so the showers are persisting and lingering around the North Island a little longer.

"But from later in the day [on Saturday] and into Sunday the North Island should be looking for a pretty good end to the weekend at least and start to next week as well."

MAIN CENTRES FORECAST:

• Whangarei - Showers on Saturday with a chance of thunder and hail, easing in the afternoon with a fresh southwesterly and a high of 17C. Fine breaks on Sunday, with southwesterlies and a high on 19C.

• Auckland - Showers and a chance of thunder and hail on Saturday, clearing in the afternoon. A strong southwesterly and a high of 16C. Sunday will see fine spells, southwesterlies and a high of 17C.

• Hamilton - Saturday will see showers, with the chance of heavy rain and hail, clearing in the evening with a high of 16C. Fine spells on Sunday, with possible morning frosts, westerlies and a high of 18C.

• Tauranga - Showers on Saturday with a chance of heavy rain and hail, clearing by the evening, a strong southwesterly and a high of 17C. Sunday will be fine, with cloud increasing in the evening, and a high of 19C.

• Wellington - Showers turning to rain on Saturday, with a chance of heavy rain and hail, gale southerlies and a high of 12C. Sunday will be fine, with northerlies and a high of 17C.

• Christchurch - Saturday will see showers clearing early, then becoming fine, with a high of 16C. Fine on Sunday, with some high cloud and a high of 21C, but a gusty northwesterly developing.

• Dunedin - Morning cloud on Saturday, chance of an early shower, then fine, with a high of 17C. Sunday looks fine, with some high cloud, and a gusty northwesterly, with a high of 21C.

• Queenstown - A sunny day on Saturday, after a possible frosty start, a high of 16C. Sunday will be mainly fine, with variable high cloud, gusty westerlies and a high of 17C.
(source: MetService)