Mostly sunny skies over the weekend

The North Island is basking in balmy temperatures today and it looks set to stay that way - for a few days at least. Photo / Greg Bowker

Most of the country will see a return of summer this weekend after a rainy week left many wondering if autumn was here already.

Instead, much of the North Island is basking in balmy temperatures in the mid to high 20s today and it looks set to stay that way - for a few days at least.

"There's a ridge of high pressure pushing in over the North Island, so that severe weather we've had over the past few days has pushed off. We have a mainly fine [Saturday] over most of the North Island," MetService meteorologist Lisa Murray said, adding there would be very little cloud around.

But it was a different story in the South Island, she said.

"It's a tale of two halves down there. There's a front moving up the country and on the West Coast it's going to dump a decent amount of rain -- not like the one we've just had over the last few days, but it will have some heavy falls as it moves up," Ms Murray said.

"In the east, it's generally fine except for Southland, which has some cloudy periods, and the cloud will stick around for most of the day; a few showers down there as well."

Tomorrow would again be fine in Auckland and across much of the North Island, Ms Murray said. But a southwesterly in the City of Sails could bring cloudy periods and isolated showers in the west.

"If you're in the city you'll probably be fine. You'd be unlucky to get one [a shower], but there is a possibility," she said.

"The rest of the [North Island], though, and in the east, mainly fine. The west starts off with mainly cloudy periods, a few isolated showers around, but all that fines up and it turns into a nice day."

However, for inland areas of the North Island there was a chance of afternoon or evening convective showers -- where the daytime heat and sea breezes can cause showers to pop up, Ms Murray said.

"In the South Island, although mainly fine for most of the day, in the evening there's some cloud coming in to eastern areas, and inland areas might get a little bit of drizzle and low cloud. But other than that, not a bad day."

And the fine weather should stick around until Wednesday, Ms Murray said, when a cold front would hit the country, bringing some rain, especially for the West Coast.

Tropical Cyclone Winston, which is barrelling towards Fiji and is expected to bring ferocious winds of up to 315km/h, is unlikely to hit New Zealand, she said.

It was too early to tell its exact path, but it was likely to continue its westward direction, she said.

"Most [projections then] have it taking a southerly direction. After that it gets a bit iffy; they spread out quite a lot.

"I guess there's a low risk that it could affect northern areas of New Zealand in coming days, but currently it's really too early to tell. It's quite a low risk, and most of the tracks have it moving out, passing New Zealand to the northeast of us. But then some of them have the track moving back up and into the Coral Sea."

If Winston does track towards New Zealand, it would be unlikely to have any impact before the end of next week.

Whangarei - A sunny day today, with light winds and afternoon sea breezes, a high of 27C. Tomorrow will also be a sunny day, with evening cloud and afternoon sea breezes, and a high of 26C.

Auckland - Fine with light winds and afternoon sea breezes, a high of 25C. Tomorrow will be mainly fine, with a chance of morning and evening showers, a southwest wind and a high of 25C.

Hamilton - Mostly sunny today, with westerly winds developing this afternoon, a high of 25C. Tomorrow will also be mostly sunny, with southwesterly winds and a high of 26C.

Tauranga - A sunny day and a starry night, afternoon sea breezes, and a high of 26C. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny, with afternoon sea breezes and a high of 28C.

Wellington - Sunshine and northerly winds today, with a high of 23C. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny, but there will be the chance of an afternoon shower with a southerly change, and a high of 24C.

Christchurch - A fine day today, with northerlies and a high of 30C. Mainly fine tomorrow, with cloud increasing in the afternoon and easterly breezes, a high of 22C.

Dunedin - Fine spells today, a few afternoon showers with a southerly change, a high of 23C. Tomorrow, morning and evening cloud, otherwise fine, southwesterlies ease back, with a high of 21C.

Queenstown - High cloud today, and brief showers around midday with a southerly change, a high of 21C. Tomorrow, morning cloud, but otherwise fine, with westerly breezes and a high of 22C.

- Source: MetService