Warning: Make the most of sun this weekend

A couple pose for wedding photos at Mission Bay. The dark clouds do not match up with the fine weather forecast for the weekend but are a pointer to what is in store next week. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Make the most of the fine weather this weekend - forecasters predict storms on the horizon.

The MetService says the so-called "Indian summer" - with some April mornings as warm as a typical January day - was probably a popular reaction to the cold snap before Easter.

"It got cold there for a while," said forecaster Marylin Avery.

"It feels like a bit of a reprieve with this nice weather coming back.

"It can be quite mild and it can be quite cool. The South Island has had a bit of nice weather so I guess we're having our turn."

She said that at times temperatures were slightly higher than usual April patterns but mostly typical for this time of year.

It was hard to predict when winter weather would approach, but Ms Avery said autumn weather could change in an instant.

"April weather is very changeable, very varied. You don't know what's going to happen next. With school holidays at the moment, I guess you'd better make the most of it."

Today is expected to be mostly fine with temperatures of 20C in many parts of the North Island. However there will be showers and clouds in eastern parts from Northland to the Coromandel. Gisborne will see patchy rain.

Tomorrow will be mostly fine until the evening with rain spreading across most of Northland and easterlies strengthening. Gisborne will again see patchy rain.

On Monday, a subtropical low in the northern Tasman Sea is expected to cross Northland, bringing rain showers to most of the country and cooler temperatures.

Northland, Auckland, the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel will experience strong easterlies.

Philip Duncan of the Weather Watch Centre said the low formed yesterday and would deepen quickly during the weekend.

It might warrant heavy rain warnings, most likely in Northland and on the Coromandel Peninsula and bring galeforce winds across the Hauraki Gulf and Eastern Waikato.

"Farms, gardens and water tanks are drying out across the country," Mr Duncan said.

"We went from a wet February to a very dry March and first two weeks of April. Many will be hoping the predictions of rain come true."

The low will probably exit in the east on Wednesday with the top of the North Island bearing the brunt of the storm. A strong high to the east coupled with the low in the north may also drive gales into the Thames region and the Hauraki Gulf.

OUTLOOK

Today: Mostly fine but cloudy and showers in eastern parts from Northland across to the Coromandel. Patchy rain in Gisborne.

Tomorrow: Mostly fine with some rain in Northland and strengthening easterlies. Patchy rain in Gisborne.

Monday: A sub-tropical low crossing Northland brings rain to most of the country, strong easterlies and cooler temperatures.