Weather: Warm weekend ahead - with a catch

File photo / NZ Herald

A warm weekend awaits after a bitterly cold start to the week, but there's a catch - the clear skies will be replaced by periods of rain across the country.

MetService meteorologist Rebekah LaBar said it was common at this time of year for a series of fronts to come up from the south, but the southerlies typically did not last long.

"Winter isn't ready to set in just yet," she said.

"Temperatures are already on the rebound after the recent cold snap, and most of the country will see highs at least in the mid-teens this weekend, with a few places in the North Island expected to exceed 20C."

The North Island would be mainly fine tomorrow, apart from a few showers in the west.

Further south, a low approaching the country from the southwest would work its way up the South Island tomorrow afternoon, bringing rain to the West Coast and patchy showers east of the Southern Alps.

The low and associated fronts would then move over the North Island overnight, while a narrow ridge of high pressure would start to build back over the South Island.

That would bring mainly fine weather for central and southern parts of the South Island - but it would also bring a wet start to the weekend in the North Island.

The rain and showers were forecast to taper off in most places on Saturday evening, but there was still a possibility of a few evening showers lingering over the eastern North Island.

Another front was forecast to approach the South Island on Sunday, bringing cloud to the south and some rain to Fiordland and Southland.

But Sunday should be fine elsewhere, with the last of the North Island's showers clearing during the morning.

WEEKEND FORECAST
Auckland:
Friday: Cloudy periods and a few showers with northwesterlies. High 20C, low 14C.
Saturday: Showers becoming frequent and heavy for a time, with a southwesterly change. High 20C, low 10C.
Sunday: Fine spells with southeasterlies. High 21C, low 11C.
Wellington:
Friday: Cloudy periods and evening showers with fresh northerlies. High 17C, low 11C.
Saturday: Rain to showers in the morning, with a strong southerly change. High 15C, low 10C.
Sunday: A few morning showers then fine spells, with northerlies developing. High 18C, low 13C.
Christchurch:
Friday: A few afternoon showers followed by evening rain and late southerlies. High 19C, low 8C.
Saturday: Occasional rain clearing by the evening, with southerlies dying out. High 14C, low 3C.
Sunday: Mainly fine with northeasterlies developing. High 18C, low 7C.
(Source: MetService)