Crowds gathered for the National Remembrance Service in Christchurch today can expect some fine and sunny, albeit slightly cool, conditions.
Meanwhile, in Auckland, where the remembrance service will be livestreamed at Eden Park with further services in the afternoon, there could be some scattered showers throughout the day, with a chance of heavier falls in the afternoon. A high of 24C was forecast.
MetService meteorologist Arno Dyason said those attending the main event in Christchurch to remember the 50 people who lost their lives in the mosque terrorist attacks could expect a fine day, with a high of 18C.
Most of the South Island would bask today under a ridge of high pressure, once again giving the soaked West Coast a chance to further dry out after an unprecedented amount of rainfall earlier this week.
Dyason said a stationary front was hovering over the North Island, bringing some unsettled weather in an easterly flow.
The heaviest falls today would be about Gisborne and Hawke's Bay.
Maximum temperatures expected tomorrow. Temperatures in the south start to recover and increase as warm humid northerlies start affecting most the country this weekend ahead of a cold front on Sunday. https://t.co/Yjbq0jfCz1 ^KL pic.twitter.com/sBmiBnIKAH
— MetService (@MetService) March 28, 2019
On Saturday similar conditions would persist through much of the country, with isolated showers across the North Island and mostly fine conditions in the South Island, with potential evening showers on the West Coast.
The most significant weather of the weekend would arrive late Sunday on the West Coast as another front from the Tasman Sea made landfall.
Dyason said this would bring heavy rain and strong winds to the area, through to the Main Divide. However, it would not be as intense as earlier this week.
"This will be quite heavy, but moving very fast. It will be significant but really not comparable to earlier this week, which was some very prolonged, torrential rain."
On Monday the system would move on to the North Island, bringing rain to most places.
Occasional showers, possibly heavy in the morning, easing evening. Easterlies. 23C high, 18C overnight.
Often cloudy with occasional showers. Northeasterlies. 24C high, 17C overnight.
Cloudy periods. A few showers in the afternoon and early evening, chance heavy. Northeast breezes. 25C high, 14C overnight.
Often cloudy with occasional showers. Easterly breezes. 24C high, 17C overnight.
New Plymouth Cloudy periods, the chance of afternoon or evening showers. Southeast breezes. 24C high, 15C overnight.
Napier Cloudy with occasional rain. Easterlies. 21C high, 17C overnight.
Whanganui Fine. Gusty easterlies. 25C high, 13C overnight.
Wellington Fine. Southeasterlies, dying out at night. 20C high, 13C overnight.
Nelson Fine at first, but some cloud developing late morning. Northeast breezes. 21C high, 12C overnight.
Christchurch Fine apart from evening cloud. Northeasterlies. 18C high, 11C overnight.
Dunedin Fine apart from evening cloud. Northeasterlies. 19C high, 12C overnight.