Easter weather cloudy but fine in most parts of New Zealand

Auckland cousins from the Reirson family make the most of a sunny start to the Easter long weekend as they visit Milford beach. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Kiwi kids will be able to race outdoors and hunt Easter eggs this morning as most of the country enjoys a partly cloudy but dry long weekend Sunday.

However, Auckland, Northland and the East Coast can expect a wet turn by Easter Monday that could keep holidaymakers inside and make for greasy conditions for those returning home on the roads.

Wellingtonians and South Islanders, meanwhile, can expect today's cloudy weather to fine up by tomorrow as the sky breaks out into longer periods of blue, the MetService said

🐇 bringing 🥚tomorrow? Check bit.ly/metservicenz to see if he'll leave them inside or outside. With high pressure mainly in charge, most kiwis get a settled end to the long weekend.

Posted by MetService New Zealand on Friday, April 15, 2022

Looking further ahead into the school holidays, the rain expected to hit the country mid- week should clear in most parts of the nation by the Anzac Day long weekend.

Aucklanders will today wake up to a cloudy Easter Sunday with isolated showers and a high of 23C.

Rain is then tipped to fall consistently on Easter Monday with a high of 22C.

Tauranga is set for a similar forecast with a cloudy top of 22C today and occasional rain and high of 20C tomorrow.

Further south, the normally sunny Hawke's Bay can expect showers and highs of 19C across both remaining days of the long weekend.

Cloudy skies are on the cards for the capital, however Wellingtonians can still look forward to soaking up some rays as the city hits a high of 17C today and 19C tomorrow.

Christchurch residents, meanwhile, can expect some drizzle this morning before the weather clears for a chilly top of 15C.

Tomorrow should improve though for a fine high of 17C.

High pressure is mostly in charge over Aotearoa, but we have a couple of watches around the edges. A low is set to bring heavy rain to Northland from tomorrow and strong winds are expected today down south. Full details at https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/kL415cOhdc

— MetService (@MetService) April 15, 2022

Further south, Dunedin residents will need their jumpers as they enjoy a fine Easter Sunday and Monday with tops of 14C and 17C.

Holiday-makers in Queenstown will have something to smile about because, bar a few showers today, the weather is going to be fine and sunny all weekend.

However, cool temperatures, as low as 2C, in the morning and evening mean they'll need to pack their warm jackets.