Our summer weather is more like a washing cycle

After a wet end to the working week the weekend offers a ray of sunshine before the rain and wind returns. Photo / NZME

There's a ray of sunshine as the weekend approaches but we're caught in a weather pattern that seems like it's changing seasons every day.

The top of the country is in for a wet Friday as the front that deluged southern regions makes its way north.

MetService forecaster Tom Adams said it was at Auckland's doorstep and would bring wet weather to the top of the country this morning.

Unfortunately for Northland farmers, it was not expected to bring much rain to the parched ground, he said.

But the weekend was shaping up to be fine throughout much of the country.

"Saturday is looking good. There's a bit of rain for the far south and West Coast but for most of the country it looks pretty good."

But another burst of wet and windy weather was set to have people reaching for their umbrellas.

The next front would start in the South Island's West Coast on Saturday before moving up over the North Island on Sunday.

Adams said it would mainly affect western regions.

Those south of Taranaki could expect rain while eastern regions would continue to be hammered by strong winds.

He said it was looking particularly windy next week for the bottom of the South Island.

Winds ease tomorrow, although remaining fresh for some. Wind picking up again this weekend. Check https://t.co/Yjbq0jfCz1 ^Lisa pic.twitter.com/D8LuBNw6uA

— MetService (@MetService) January 12, 2017

New Zealand was firmly in the grasp of a weather pattern that was changing almost daily.

Deep low pressure systems had been flinging cold fronts up and across New Zealand leading to a succession of windy days followed by rain then clearing before the weather was repeated.

"It's a washing cycle that we're in," said Adams.

Today's weather

Auckland: Rain clearing after lunch. 24C
Hamilton: Rain clearing after lunch. 25C
Tauranga: Rain then fine. 27C
Wellington: Mostly sunny. 21C
Christchurch: Mainly fine. 23C
Dunedin: Cloudy with showers with wind. 17C