Weather: Cloudy, windy start to weekend

Piece of plastic caught in a tree in the wind, weather, on SH2. Photo / file

Auckland may be spared the wet, but will still get a windy start to the weekend.

Weather experts had earlier predicted a wet and windy weekend for most of the country, but gales are likely to be contained within the inner South Island through to Cook Strait.

Weatherwatch analyst Aaron Wilkinson says a strong northwesterly airflow lies over New Zealand, but Saturday will be relatively dry for the upper north island.

Auckland and Northland are forecast to have highs of between 17 and 21C.

"The Waikato and Bay of Plenty has a greater chance of afternoon rain, then easing in the evening," Wilkinson said.

"Overnight, some further rain moves through the country, with northwesterly winds."

MetService is forecasting a "spring-like" month, with large week-to-week variations in both rainfall and temperature.

"It's too early to put the winter woollies away but there'll be days for the togs, too," MetService meteorologist James Millward said.

Things will look better overall next week, with warm and dry weather in the forecast.

"Pushing ahead into November we're expecting cool southwesterlies to dominate early on," Millward said.

"Following that, the Tasman should stabilise bringing drier conditions for North Island but moist northwesterlies for the lower South."