Waitangi Day weather: perfect for some, messy elsewhere

It's a perfect summer's day in Waitangi and Auckland, but messy weather with gales and rain are expected in some parts of the country.

Auckland is expected to hit a high of 27C, with lots of sunshine, light winds and sea breezes.

MetService says Paihia will be sweltering and hitting a high of 29C.

But Gisborne is expected to be the hottest of them all, with a forecast high of 35C, but will also be hit with strong northerlies.

It is however, a different story across the Cook Strait with "hot dry blustery northwester" expected in Blenheim, despite hitting 29C.

Christchurch's 30C and high cloud comes with strengthening northwester.

Some gales, evening rain and eventually southerlies will take away Dunedin's 26C summer heat.

Wellington, with cloud, strengthening northwesterly and expected wind gust to 100kmh later in the day, will be the coolest of the cities on just 20C.

A complex trough with several front moves over the country later today or early tomorrow, bringing heavy rain forecast for Fiordland, Westland, Buller and the Tararua Range.