Making a splash while the sun shines

Cailin Brown (left), Monique Adams and Amy Coleman enjoy a refreshing dip at Long Bay, Auckland, yesterday. Photo / Greg Bowker

The weather today and tomorrow could match the mood of Aucklanders returning to work with some cloud and a few showers predicted. However, fine spells are also on the cards, and sunshine is predicted to be back at the weekend - with a good chance it will stick around in the second half of the month.

MetService meteorologist Liz Walsh said a frontal system was expected to hit the country late on Saturday and Sunday.

Later this week temperatures were forecast to drop for the bottom half of the South Island, which would be hit by a southwest change.

"It's somewhat tropical up north and we're expecting snow on the mountains down to 2000m down south," she said.

Ms Walsh said the weather across the whole country would be unsettled with sun and rain until after the weekend.

WeatherWatch.co.nz forecasts settled, summery weather, with a large high on track for the country later in the month. The high is currently south of Australia and would take at least another week to edge eastwards towards New Zealand, head analyst Philip Duncan said.

He said the north, northeast and east of both islands would have more dry weather than wet weather over the next 10 days.

"Campers may be a little frustrated that the settled weather is mostly kicking in towards the end of the school holidays for some areas," Mr Duncan said. "But that's the risk for having the major summer holiday break at the very start of summer rather than mid to late summer when the weather is hottest and calmest - which is February."

Auckland's week

Today: Fine spells, chance evening shower. Westerlies. 23C high.
Thursday: Showers, mostly in the morning. Fresh southwesterlies. 20C high.
Friday: Becoming fine. Southerly winds. 22C high.
Saturday: Fine with light winds. 22C high.
Sunday: Fine. Westerlies. 21C high.

Source: MetService