Temperatures due to tumble after warm Easter break

File photo / Chris Gorman

After a warm Easter break for much of the country, temperatures are due to tumble in time for next weekend.

MetService said a change of wind direction towards the end of the week would see highs of only 13C in the South Island, and in the low 20s in the North.

Meteorologist John Jaw said over Easter a warm air mass from the north west kept temperatures high.

"But later this week the wind direction will swing to the south, bringing some cooler temperatures," he said.

The fine weather continues today for the far south, with a dry and sunny anniversary day for Southland, and similar conditions in Otago.

But strong winds and heavy rain are in store for the top of the South Island in the next few days, moving northwards to Nelson and Taranaki.

Severe weather warnings are in place for Northwest Nelson until early Wednesday morning and Mt Taranaki on Wednesday and Thursday.

A low moving eastwards across the country will bring wet weather on Thursday, before the southerly change.

Auckland can expect rain and a high of 23C on Friday, dropping to 21C on Saturday.

Hamilton will also see a wet end to the week, with highs of 22C on Friday and 21C on Saturday.

Wellington is set to reach just 16C on Saturday.

Christchurch is set for highs of 15C on Friday and Saturday, with Dunedin reaching 14C, and Invercargill 13C.

Main centres for Wednesday:

Auckland: Early drizzle, fine spells, high of 24C, low 18C.

Hamilton: Cloudy, chance of drizzle, high 23C, low 16C.

Tauranga: Early drizzle, fine spells, high 23C, low 19C.

Wellington: Rain easing, high 20C, low 14C.

Christchurch: Fine, high 22C, low 12C.

Dunedin: Fine, high 20C, low 10C.

Source: MetService.