A very windy week is on the way next week for the nation as a storm near Antarctica pushes against a large high north of New Zealand. The result will be gale for westerlies which may reaching damaging strengths around Tuesday in the South Island and Wednesday in the North Island. This weekend sees a combination of sun and warmth along with winds and showers.
Spring-like conditions will return to much of the country over the weekend after this week's cold snap, MetService said.
Rugby fans can expect a few showers in Hamilton for tomorrow night's All Blacks game, but they will be over quickly before moving north.
Temperatures in Christchurch and Napier are expectedto hit 18C and some places may enjoy 20C, forecaster Daniel Corbett said.
Sunday would bring a few showers to Wellington by about noon and Canterbury might also get some rain in the evening.
Not everywhere would be warm, with snowfalls expected below 1000 metres in mountainous parts of both islands by the end of the weekend.
Mr Corbett said those who could should enjoy the better weather while it lasted because many people would be "holding onto their hats ... and putting three pegs on their clothes" on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"Even at this early stage, it seems reasonably likely that there will be heavy rainfalls on the South Island's West Coast, and gales in eastern places from about Wairarapa southwards," he said.
The strengthening winds were expected to hit parts of Canterbury, Wellington, Wairarapa and possibly Hawkes Bay.
