Your weather: Fine everywhere, except in Auckland with fog, showers

While most of the country basks in fine winter weather Aucklanders will be battling fog in the morning and dodging showers later in the day.

A ridge of high pressure was covering most of the country producing dry and settled weather, MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said.

However, a weak front was hovering near Auckland, and would produce steady showers from later this morning through to the evening.

There were also patches of fog throughout the city this morning affecting traffic on parts of the motorway network.

There was also thick fog in parts of Hamilton and Christchurch, Glassey said.

We can compare #climate patterns, in broad strokes, from 1903 to 2018 ... much of the SW Pacific, not just New Zealand, had a colder than average July, 115 years ago.

It makes July 2018 much more palatable! pic.twitter.com/CKtoMhqTQC

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 17, 2018

For most across the country it was quite a mild winter's night, with few places dropping below 0C.

The coldest temperature recorded was in the central South Island at Pukaki Aerodrome, where it dropped to -3.9C.

Tomorrow a weak front would move across the country from the Tasman Sea, bringing showers mostly to western areas.

Another ridge would form on Friday while a moist northerly flow began to strengthen over the South Island ahead of a front arriving Saturday.

Here's some good news!

Rainfall is forecast to be below normal across the rain-soaked North Island and a good portion of the South Island over the next 1-2 weeks 🙌 pic.twitter.com/iaLF0puFUv

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 16, 2018

Fiordland and southern Westland were in for periods of heavy rain from Friday through Saturday.

This front would be much more active than anything this week, Glassey said.

It was expected to cross southern and central New Zealand on Saturday, pushing the heavy rain north towards northwest Nelson and spreading northwest gales over parts of the east coast.

On Sunday, the front should move north-eastward while weakening, and a ridge of high pressure would spread on to the South Island.

Today's weather

Whangārei

Cloudy periods. Light winds. 17C high, 7C overnight.

Auckland

​ Showers developing morning, possibly heavy, easing evening. Light winds. 15C high, 8C overnight.

Hamilton

Early fog then cloudy periods and one or two showers. Light winds. 15C high, 6C overnight.

​

Tauranga

Partly cloudy. Light winds. 16C high, 7C overnight.

New Plymouth Cloudy periods, a chance of shower or two. Light winds. 14C high, 7C overnight.

Napier Mainly fine, but chance evening shower. Light winds. 15C high, 2C overnight.

Wellington Fine. Northerlies. 13C high, 7C overnight.

Nelson Fine with light winds. 14C high, 2C overnight.

Christchurch Fine apart from areas of morning fog. Northerlies developing evening. 12C high, 0C overnight.

Dunedin Morning high cloud, then fine. Northerly breezes. 14C high, 4C overnight.