More rain, but warmer temperatures for most

More rain is on the way for much of the country. Photo / Chris Gorman

The northern and eastern parts of the country are about to be lashed by more heavy rain, but not before temperatures rise, at least in the north.

WeatherWatch analyst Philip Duncan said the next few days would be mild, with nights in the north especially warm for this time of year.

"The current low will gradually weaken over the next 24 hours, and so Friday and parts of Saturday may well be spring-like yet again with highs in the late teens, possibly even 20 if that warm northerly kicks in before the rain clouds do on Saturday."

But then heavy rain would lash the North Island on Saturday and Sunday, moving down to the eastern areas of the South Island on Sunday and Monday.

But while the North Island would be experiencing warmer temperatures, more snow was forecast for the South Island.

WeatherWatch analyst Aaron Wilkinson said a cold south-easterly would blow rain to places like Canterbury and coastal Otago early next week, with the rain turning to snow for the skifields.

Snow was expected down to 600m in Canterbury, with patchy rain or drizzle for Christchurch on Monday.

Temperatures would remain in the single digits.