Weather: Mainly fine for most today, but cold front looms ahead

A mainly fine day for most today, but a cold front is on the way. File Photo / Jason Oxenham

It will be a fine day for many around the country to end off the working week - but expect rain and the temperature to drop this weekend.

It was a chilly start to the day for most areas - so cold that it broke records; including for Upper Hutt, where -2.8C was recorded as the fourth coldest October temperature since records began in 1940.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research also recorded -3.9C in Hanmer Forest, -2.8C in Mt Ruapehu (Chateau), -2.5C in Rangiora and -2.0C in Masterton.

It's cold for any month, never mind October! 🥶

On Friday morning, Upper Hutt (-2.8˚C) experienced its 4th coldest October temp since records began in 1940. pic.twitter.com/sXlTkMJGm2

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) October 3, 2019

The MetService, however, said South Canterbury's Pūkaki was the coldest place to be after it clocked a teeth-chattering -3.5C at 7am.

A west to northwest airflow sitting over the country is gradually strengthening and comes before a cold front set to hit the lower South Island overnight, WeatherWatch says.

Weather analyst Aaron Wilkinson says the cold front will head north later on and will bring northwesterly winds with it.

There will be some cloud for the western part of the North Island as a well as a risk of the odd shower in parts of Northland and in and around Auckland.

In the South Island It will be fairly cloudy, with a few showers for the West Coast and rain in South Westland will get heavy, gradually becoming heavy, in the afternoon.

"[There'll be] cloudy areas and the odd shower for the western North Island tomorrow and rain moves into the lower western part of the North Island from tomorrow afternoon and then further north later in the evening.''

It will be mostly sunny in the east and rain moves into Wellington and around Wairarapa this afternoon before heading further north tonight.

Aucklanders are in for a mainly fine day today, although there is a chance of the odd shower this morning.

A significant temperature high of 16C and overnight low of 9C is expected in the City of Sails and there will also be southwest breezes in the city.

A cool start today. The graphic shows temperatures recorded this morning at 7am, with frosts in many parts of Aotearoa. Pukaki recorded the lowest temperature this morning with -3.5C, Christchurch was close behind recording -3.0C at 6am. More temps at https://t.co/ziBZZ8yIbP ^AB pic.twitter.com/0bfXZ2bKzV

— MetService (@MetService) October 3, 2019

There are similar conditions in and around Hamilton - although it will be a little colder overnight, with a 5C low on the cards.

Sunny conditions are also forecast in Whāngārei and Northland and apart from morning frosts, it will be a fine day in Palmerston North.

Those in Wellington will be happy to see sunshine also, save for cloudy periods this afternoon, and there is a high of 13C expected in the capital.

COLD FRONT COMES THIS WEEKEND:

The cold front expected in the South Island overnight will move up the country over the weekend - bringing colder temperatures and rain.

MetService meteorologist April Clark said while today will be dry and fine for most parts of the country, the cold front brings wild weather this weekend.

"The front is expected to bring strong winds and a brief period of rain to southern and central New Zealand on Saturday as it moves northwards.

"Another dose of late season snow is likely for the higher passes and ski fields."

The weather system is forecast to weaken by Sunday, before breaking up. As a result, the lower North Island and South Island will enjoy a fine but chilly start to Sunday.

Meanwhile, weather experts say there will be "changeable weather" conditions expected for the last week of the school holidays and people planning outdoor activities are told to check forecasts for the best fine weather window.

For those in and around Auckland and parts of the North Island - the best days, at this stage, look to be Monday and Tuesday as rain is forecast the rest of the week.

The October Outlook is now up at https://t.co/Pg4NeIiqa5. The Southern Ocean looks likely to settle down this month.....(phew)....so what IS going to drive our weather maps? And is it ever going to warm up?? ^GG pic.twitter.com/PEx0NLzMzK

— MetService (@MetService) October 1, 2019