Unsettled weather expected ahead of the weekend

Dry days are set to charm most of the country. Photo / Thinkstock

Dry days are set to charm most of the country until the weekend, with temperatures staying relatively steady as the end of July edges closer.

MetService forecasters are expecting settled weather throughout the North Island, with isolated showers for Gisborne and Wellington today.

MetService meteorologist Peter Little said most of the North Island would be clear until Sunday.

Inland areas had experienced a frosty morning in the South Island with Lake Pukaki reaching -5C and Queenstown getting down to -3C, he said.

"There's quite a number of places that have been pretty cold in the South Island overnight but it's a pretty fine day today.

"It still looks pretty good over much of the country on Friday, we've still got that ridge holding on."

The South Island would be largely clear with a burst of heavy rain expected in Fiordland on Thursday and Friday.

A front was expected to creep northwards from the west coast of the South Island on Saturday, bringing rain and wind to parts of the North Island by Sunday.

"Really it's not until the weekend we have a significant feature in terms of a trough approaching from the Tasman Sea. That's preceded by strong northerlies," Mr Little said.

"It's still looking fairly unsettled on Sunday but Saturday to early Sunday is where the worst of the weather should be."

Weather Watch head analyst Philip Duncan said the high bringing lighter winds, clear skies and dry weather would weaken by the weekend.

It was a much quieter week for most centres, he said.

"Saturday's a dry one for most of the North Island...but Saturday's weather in the South Island will move into the North Island by Sunday."

Auckland was in for a fine Wednesday with light winds and a high of 15C while Wellington could expect a morning shower or two with cloudy periods and a high of 11C.

Tomorrow's forecast:

Whangarei: Fine, light winds. High 15C

Auckland: Fine, light winds. High 14C

Hamilton: Fine, evening cloud. High 14C

Tauranga: Fine, morning cloud. High 14C

Wellington: Cloudy periods. High 13C

Christchurch: Mainly fine. High 13C

Queenstown: Fine. 11C

Dunedin: Mainly fine. High 13C

Source: MetService