Weather: Stellar week of summer sunshine on way for most of New Zealand

A high parked over New Zealand will keep the sunshine dial turned up high this week, with temperatures nudging 30C for some.

The big, slow-moving high is "right across the centre of the country", MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said.

"And the ridge [of high pressure] hangs in there till the end of the week."

The top half of the North Island fares particularly well, with Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty bathed in sunshine and set to enjoy highs from the mid 20s up through the week.

Hamilton is forecast to reach 29C on Thursday, and Auckland 27C.

Other parts of the country will be cooler, but mostly fine, Coutts said.

"Most of the rest of the country is looking pretty good."

Only Gisborne and northern Hawke's Bay catch some showers this week, while it may be drizzly in Fiordland and Stewart Island today.

Wellington will be fine, with temperatures hovering around 20C this week, with Christchurch a few degrees higher.

Today the upper North Island will be mainly sunny, with temperatures for most nudging 25C.

Fresh southerlies will gradually ease today in Wellington, where 21C is expected, while New Plymouth and Palmerston North will be fine with a high of 22C.

And it will be fine across the South Island today, with temperatures ranging from 19C in Greymouth to 20C in Nelson, a pair of 21C highs in Christchurch and Dunedin, and 22C in Queenstown.