Weather: Clear skies and crisp temperatures expected as last month of autumn begins

Fine skies are in store for much of the country over the coming days despite temperatures dipping to a more autumnal level.

The top of the country is in for more crisp, dry weather today as the last month of autumn begins.

Aucklanders can expect a repeat of yesterday with a high of 17C and a low of 9C despite a clear, sunny day.

Cantabrians are in for a slightly warmer day with low of 5C expected after forecasters predicted the overnight low yesterday could drop to 1C.

Showers could hit Taihape, Wellington, Wairarapa, the Hawke's Bay, Fiordland and Southland but should be clear by evening, according to Metservice.

The fine weather was expected to continue into Thursday and Friday although the Hawke's Bay, the far south and the South Island's West Coast could be in for the odd shower.

But the fine days could come to an end by the weekend with Metservice predicting a front would move over the South Island from the southwest.

It was expected to bring rain to the Western parts of the South Island becoming heavy in Fiordland on Saturday and in Westland, Buller and around the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers on Sunday.

While the front was not expected to affect the North Island, patchy drizzle was possible in the Bay of Plenty.

The front would be followed by a change to cooler southwesterlies across the South Island.