Chilly nights turn to sunny days for long weekend

There is a chance of isolated showers in-between the sun in Auckland. Photo / iStock

More sunny days and chilly nights are in store for much of the country for the remainder of the long weekend, WeatherWatch says.

New Zealand basked in sunny - if chilly - weather today because of a high set to remain until the middle of next week.

WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said it looked good for the remainder of the long weekend, bar a couple of foggy or frosty patches in sheltered inland areas.

"Saturday was a beautiful day across the whole country really and we're seeing temperatures that are about average for this time of year. If you're out of the breeze and you're in the sun it's lovely."

Monday would likely be even better, with the weather forecast to be still and warmer than Saturday or Sunday.

The high was forecast to bring a northeasterly front over both islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, and a band of rain would develop on Wednesday.

"I don't see the rain as being too much of a problem but there might be a couple of isolated thunderstorms and some heavy downpours in the upper North Island on Wednesday with gusty winds," Duncan said.

"It doesn't look like a storm at this stage but it could be on the threshold of maybe a rain warning and certainly some marine wind warnings."

MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said inland areas were in for another chilly night tonight; -1C was forecast for Taumaranui, Taupo, Tokoroa and Timaru, and Alexandra was set to hit -2C.

Yesterday's daytime high was 17.6C in Kaitaia and the low was 6.9C in Mt Cook.

TEMPERATURES:

Auckland: High tomorrow: 16C. Overnight low tonight: 7C
Hamilton: High tomorrow: 14C. Overnight low tonight: 0C
Napier: High tomorrow: 15C. Overnight low tonight: 1C
Taupo: High tomorrow: 11C. Overnight low tonight: -2C
Wellington: High tomorrow: 14C. Overnight low tonight: 6C
Blenheim: High tomorrow: 14C. Overnight low tonight: 0C
Christchurch: High tomorrow: 13C. Overnight low tonight: 1C
Queenstown: High tomorrow: 10C. Overnight low tonight: 0C
Invercargill: High tomorrow: 12C. Overnight low tonight: 2C