There'll be mostly clear and sunny days for much of the country this week. Photo / Brett Phibbs
There'll be mostly clear and sunny days for much of the country this week. Photo / Brett Phibbs
Kiwis across most of the country have woken to fine conditions today, and the good weather is expected to stick around - certainly a welcoming change after weeks stricken by rain.
Metservice meteorologist Andrew James said a high-pressure system across the country was to thank.
"In the next week or so we have a high pressure over New Zealand which means mostly settled weather," he said.
James said some areas on the East Coast of both islands will get some showers today and tomorrow, including in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Northland.
While the sun will be shining, James said it is not expected to warm up and could even be chillier than recent weeks.
"It's not going to be warm, the winds are coming from the South so it is going to be a bit chillier than they have been lately," he said.
However, Auckland is forecast to peak at 18C today and 17C during the week. That's slightly warmer than last week when temperatures were averaging at about 14C.
How’s Sunday looking? Not too bad for most. There will be some cloud and a few showers, mainly for eastern areas, but there should be plenty of sunny areas too. Check the forecast for your place at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^SG pic.twitter.com/MtZdzLQFIM
James said they are keeping a close eye on a front which will move across the South Island from Wednesday. He said there is a low risk that the front could bring heavy rain to the West Coast later in the week.
Earlier, MetService meteorologist Aidan Pyselman said a low front was moving away to the east of the country and a big high sitting over the Tasman Sea would be replacing it.
"On Sunday, that high builds over the country and then very slowly drifts east over the week but still maintains a ridge over northern New Zealand," Pyselman said.
"It's just a big area of high pressure moving in from the Tasman Sea giving us a bit of reprieve after all that rain."
Just last week there were multiple heavy rain and wind warnings for much of the country. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Temperatures were average for this time of year, however, into the start of the working week it looked like there could be a few frosts for southern New Zealand and some of the lower North Island, Pyselman said.
"Frosts aren't unusual for this time of year, late winter, especially when we get a big high with clear skies, it's enough to get those temperatures around zero or slightly below."
He said a ridge or a high often followed a low or a trough.
"They have just been really brief lately, we might have a low and front and then we might get one day of a ridge and then it turns to another low again, but this one looks like it's a little larger and hangs around for a bit longer."
