Weather: Enjoy your weekend - overnight downpour clears

Outdoor activities have been made more appealing this weekend with the wild weather clearing earlier than expected in most parts of the country.

In Auckland, the overnight downpour has passed and sunshine is expected to stick around for the rest of the weekend.

The region's temperature is expected to reach 20C today and tomorrow, with westerly winds gradually easing through the day.

But not everyone will be free of rain jackets and brollies - MetService still has a heavy rain watch alert on for Taranaki and Gisborne regions.

In the lower North Island, patchy weather is to be expected but settling as the day progresses.

MetService meteorologist Kyle Lee said once the front has passed, the second half of Saturday will be more settled.

"The northerly flow will also mean the temperatures should recover behind the front with temperatures returning to average for this time of year, and possibly a few parts of the country reaching the 20C mark again," Lee said.

Here's the top temperatures across Aotearoa for Friday the 14th May.
Kaitaia and Whangarei warmest with 19C. ^Gerry pic.twitter.com/leCk7Stbfz

— MetService (@MetService) May 14, 2021

It brings great news for those wanting to attend the transtasman Super Rugby game in Christchurch where the Crusaders will take on the Brumbies. Conditions there are expected to be dry with light winds for the kick off.

It will be a similar story for the most of the North Island where rain and heavy falls overnight will lead to a mainly fine afternoon, with just a few isolated showers in the west until the evening.

Taupo is forecast to be one of the coldest places in the North Island on Saturday morning with a drop to 4C, which is 1C below the average for this time of year.

Kaikoura will be among the warmest places to be with a forecast high of 20C for Saturday.

But all the settled weather is to change again on Sunday where another front is set to hit the South Island and make its way on to the North Island late in the day.

Again, this will bring more strong winds and rain to cities and towns across the country.

Alexandra is expected to drop to 1C on Sunday.

Cloud will increase with showers developing, turning to rain about Taranaki, Kapiti and Wellington, and the South Island can also expect rain and showers, and heavy rain in the west.

Over the weekend, Auckland has forecast highs of 20C and 21C and lows of 12C and 14C, Wellington is expected to reach 18C and 16C on Saturday and Sunday with lows of 10C and 11C.

Christchurch will see highs of 17C and 16C and lows of 6C and 3C.

Lee said the "changeable winter-like patterns" will continue with another cold front in store to affect New Zealand early next week.

There is expected to be an abrupt drop to temperatures with snow affecting the South Island alpine passes and lowering to 500m in the far south at night.