KEY POINTS:
Don't be put off by Saturday's wintry blast - summer is not over and temperatures this week will be back to what we expect to get in February.
But we will get some respite from the humidity, for the next few nights at least.
MetService forecaster Jon Tunster said Aucklanders could expect fine weather, some cloud and the occasional shower early this week.
Rain was likely to develop on Thursday or Friday.
Temperatures will remain average for this time of year - 23C to 25C.
Overnight lows of 16C - also typical of February - are predicted.
Last week, the temperature at night was around 22C.
Mr Tunster said the 100 per cent humidity recorded in Auckland last week made the air feel sticky because of the high temperatures.
"You can have 100 per cent humidity in winter as well, but it won't feel sticky," he said.
"It's the combination of heat and humidity that makes it feel really uncomfortable."
An area of high pressure would stay over New Zealand for most of the week.
But rain from about Thursday could result in humid northeasterlies over Auckland.
The South Island is expected to have a more settled week, with very little chance of severe weather.
Weatherwatch head analyst Philip Duncan said New Zealand had moved on from the settled weather pattern it had in January, when the weather was dry every day.
Another low, typical of the La Nina weather pattern, was moving towards the country from the tropics.
Mr Duncan said the difference between the La Nina pattern this year and last year was that the highs had been coming out of the Tasman Sea, causing temperatures to soar in South Australia.
Last summer, La Nina placed a high over New Zealand for most of the season, causing drought in areas including Southland and Waikato.
New Zealand is now on the other side of the pattern, making it more vulnerable to changeable weather as lows pass over.
On Saturday, Auckland had a southeasterly wind and patchy rain that brought the temperatures down to 15C at noon.
"I think it's a healthier summer than last year," Mr Duncan said.
"We are not getting non-stop hot, dry days - there is water in there as well, which is good for the farmers, gardeners and people with water tanks."
The long-range forecast to next week says showers are probable.
Today:
Northland: Showers.
Auckland and Coromandel: Cloud, isolated showers developing.
Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taupo: Fine.
Taranaki, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington: Showers spreading north, some heavy, and possible thunder in Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay.
