Matariki weather: Bursts of rain for most places across the long weekend

The long weekend will be accompanied by rain and frosts - but nothing compared to the wild weather seen across the country in recent times - as people settle into Matariki with friends and family.

Today a front moves over New Zealand from the Tasman, bringing rain to Northern Aotearoa, including Auckland, and western parts of the South Island.

Niwa said every region would get some rain over the Matariki weekend - but some were expected to get more than others - with much of the best weather in the east.

On Twitter, the agency said the best weather would be in the east of both islands on Friday, in Canterbury and Northland on Saturday and across eastern and northern parts of the South Island and eastern areas of the North Island on Sunday.

✨ Matariki weekend weather! 🧵

Frosty Friday night ✅
Frosty Saturday night 🤏

One last particularly chilly night is expected tonight ~ heads up for icy conditions on Saturday morning!

Saturday night will be milder 📈 pic.twitter.com/RWK40RszbO

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 23, 2022

MetService has issued heavy rain watches for Northland, Tasman and Westland from tonight until tomorrow morning or early afternoon.

MetService forecaster Aidan Pyselman said eastern parts of the country were in for another good day but with frosts in many places.

The front that brought rain for northern and western parts of the country on Friday moves eastward on Saturday, taking the wet weather with it. Eastern areas, particularly in the North Island, are expected to experience some rain as the front moves through.

Pyselman said broadly speaking there would be some respite with a weak ridge from the rain overnight on Saturday and slightly better weather was expected on Sunday.

"If you were to pick a good day, Sunday looks like the better day, putting [today] aside for those eastern areas."

Yet another front with strong northwest winds and cooler southwesterlies is expected to sweep northwards over the South Island on Monday and then the North Island on Tuesday.

The front was expected to bring further bursts of rain to mainly western areas.