Damp, windy Easter looms

The Easter show and other Auckland attractions are likely to be rather soggy. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Rain forecast for this week and long weekend, with gusts and humidity thrown in.

The Easter Bunny may need to forgo the garden this weekend and hide its eggs inside the house, as wet weather settles in over much of the country.

Rain is expected across much of the country this week and through the long weekend, and there might be some wild winds thrown in as well.

"Certainly the run into Easter looks like we could get some quite significant weather over the North Island," MetService forecaster Allister Gorman said.

"Most everywhere is going to get a day of two of quite wet weather in the week coming up."

The worst weather to hit the north of the North Island would likely land on Thursday and Friday, he said, before moving south through the rest of the weekend.

"That's not to say it will become brilliant sunshine in the the north, There will probably be showery conditions left in the wake of the low."

Those people thinking of filling their days off with activities such as the Coca-Cola Easter Show at Auckland's ASB Showgrounds could be in for a soggy time.

But although wet and sometimes windy - particularly on Thursday and Friday - warm temperatures should continue in the north, he said.

"The thing with this low is it's going to be bringing down tropical air, so it will be warm, muggy air.

"The theme we seem to have been having of fairly muggy, low cloud and humid conditions will continue through until at least Sunday or Monday," Mr Gorman said.

Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawkes Bay would be the most likely to fine up after Friday.

"Bay of Plenty doesn't look like a good place to be on Thursday and Friday, it could be one of the worst places. But by Easter Sunday and for Monday that'll be one of the better places. They're going to have a weekend of two halves," he said.

The South Island would likely have their worst weather on Friday and Saturday, "probably about a day later than the North Island".