Long weekend weather: Reprieve from days of unsettled weather

A forecaster says today is likely to be the best day of the long weekend for weather as a ridge moves in to cover the country and offer some reprieve after days of unsettled weather.

MetService forecaster Aidan Pyselman said a ridge is moving in from the Tasman today, bringing a "big improvement" in the weather with most places expected to be fine.

There will still be the odd shower here and there, he said.

"[Saturday is] definitely looking the pick."

Meteorologist Angus Hines said the active and thundery weather of the past few days had lost "a bit of the sting in its tail" heading into the weekend.

A trough in the northern parts of Auckland and southern parts of Northland means those areas will be getting a few showers throughout the days.

In the lower half of the North Island, there could be showers in Wellington and Napier this morning but the whole region is in for a fine afternoon with the wind dying down and the sun out.

In his forecast, Hines said in the South Island, the likes of Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Queenstown and Invercargill were in for a bright afternoon as morning winds eased.

Pyselman said Sunday also looked good but as the ridge that sat over the country on Saturday moved away and another weather system came in, some western areas - mainly in the South Island - were in for some rain.

There would be a few frosty spots down south and in the central North Island over the long weekend, Pyselman said.

Timaru, for example, is expected to hit a low of -2C and Alexandra -1C overnight tonight.