Warmer weather for Anzac weekend

Those attending dawn services should wake up to dry weather.

Anzac Day weather across New Zealand this weekend looks to be mostly dry and warm, especially if you're going to be in the North Island.

All this week centres have been reaching into the 20s as a westerly wind keeps the air warmer, especially for those in the east where national highs have been between 25 and 27 all week.

This weekend a deep low will rumble by in the Southern Ocean and while the centre of the low won't actually be near New Zealand its tentacle-like fronts will pound the West Coast bringing nearly half a metre of rain to parts of Fiordland (a lot even for them!) and with a high over the north the isobars will be stacked up over central areas. Several rain warnings have already been issued by MetService.

This means a continuation of the warm north-to-northwest wind over central and eastern parts of the country but the winds look like they'll be especially blustery about Wellington, southern Wairarapa, Marlborough and northern Canterbury.

In a nutshell the weather over the northern half of the North Island will be calm, warm and dry, the lower North Island will be windier, especially about Wellington, but also mostly dry.

The upper South Island will be windy but mostly dry, while eastern areas may see a spot or two of rain - but nothing to dampen any services.

The West Coast will see rain bands moving through across the day, as will Southland.

So I guess for most of the main centres the forecast isn't too bad - and with the warmer weather likely overnight Saturday and into Sunday morning it should make waking up a little easier for those attending dawn services.