New Zealand's weather: Little rain, sunshine for most following unsummery weekend

Following an unsummery weekend, conditions will warm as the week draws onwards. Photo / File

If you thought recent mornings had been cooler than previous days, you would be right.

Temperatures around the North Island fell last night resulting in many people rugging up like it was winter this morning.

What was to blame? A cool southerly breeze making its way over the country.

In Auckland, the overnight low reached 13.8C, a big drop from the past few weeks where temperatures were closer to 20C.

The wind followed a front which moved over the country this weekend, providing brief rain relief for many drought-stricken areas.

However, the wet weather will not stay for most, with a ridge of high pressure keeping the rain at bay.

There was some brief rain relief for drought-stricken parts of NZ on the weekend. However, more rain is needed and there are little signs of any 'significant' rain this week for the places that want it most. Get the full forecast at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^SG pic.twitter.com/gptkSlHlZx

— MetService (@MetService) February 23, 2020

Parts of the Bay of Plenty will receive small amounts of precipitation, MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said.

"We get a few showers about the fringes, even calling it rain is probably overdoing it," he said.

For the most part, the weather outlook for New Zealand is looking dry, yet again.

From Wednesday, western areas from Northland to Wellington, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and the central high country will be mostly fine.

Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa will be mostly cloudy, with a few showers about Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, and Otago - excluding Clutha - would be mostly fine. Buller and Westland are due for fine spells, meanwhile.

In Fiordland, Southland and Clutha, conditions are tipped to be mostly fine following showers overnight.

Temperatures and muggy conditions will increase as the week draws onwards.

When there are these long, dry spells of weather it is not unusual for sprinklers and similar garden product sales to increase at DIY stores.

"Over this current dry spell we have seen these same trends," Mitre 10's chief of customer marketing and inspiration Jules Lloyd-Jone said.

"These are products that help manage water consumption and put water specifically where it is needed at the root of the plant or over your lawn."

Elsewhere, Bunnings staff had been busy offering customers advice for how to best maintain a healthy garden during dry conditions.

Watering cans, water-saving crystals and slow-release fertilisers were all handy ways to combat the dry, Bunnings category manager of water Chris Morgan said.

"Dedicated garden care team members are on hand to help customers find the best and most cost-effective option for their garden"