Back home, there will be fine weather apart from periods of cloud in the morning and night in the west from Northland to Wellington.
It's set to be a balmy day in Auckland, with the mercury tipped to rise to 25C from a low of 16C and northeasterly breezes also expected.
Wellington is due for a cooler day at just 18C from a low of 15C. There will be strong northerlies, with gusts up to 100km/h in exposed places.
There will be cloud this morning for Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Taupo with patchy drizzle this evening but a day of fine spells mostly.
Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa, Buller, and Nelson can expect areas of morning cloud before fine weather.
It'll be mostly cloudy with scattered rain in Otago and Southland, with Marlborough and Canterbury due for a fine day with cloud increasing this evening.
A northerly wind flow is ahead of the band of rain set to douce Fiordland and southern Westland.
The band should linger around the West Coast for the weekend before being reinvigorated before Monday as it rolls over the South Island.
There is a good chance New Zealand will be in for settled weather on Christmas next week but there is still a notable risk for less than ideal conditions.
A low-pressure system is brewing in the Tasman Sea and looks set to roll over the South Island midweek and Cyclone Yasa is still on the move.
A more definitive weather forecast for Friday can be expected tomorrow.
Weather forecast
WhangΔrei: Morning and evening cloud, otherwise long fine spells. Light winds and afternoon northeasterly breezes. High 25C, Low 15C.
Auckland: Morning and evening cloud, otherwise long fine spells. Northeasterly breezes. 25C, 16C.
Tauranga: Cloud and possible drizzle morning and night, otherwise fine breaks. Northeast breezes, dying out overnight. 23C, 16C.
Hamilton: Mostly fine, some morning and evening cloud. Light winds, but afternoon westerly breezes. 25C, 11C.
New Plymouth: Morning cloud, then some fine breaks. Northerlies. 21C, 13C.
Napier: Fine. Northeast breeze dying out this evening. 25C, 16C.
Wellington: Morning cloud, then some fine breaks. Strong northerlies, gusting 100 km/h in exposed places. 18C, 15C.
Christchurch: Fine with high cloud. Northwesterlies from late morning. 30C, 15C.
Queenstown: Cloudy. Occasional rain, more likely from afternoon. Gusty northeasterlies, dying out in the evening. 23C, 12C.
Dunedin: Cloudy. Occasional rain. Winds tending northwest, then changing southwest late evening. 23C, 13C.
Invercargill: Cloudy. Occasional rain. Northwesterlies becoming gusty in the morning, changing southwest in the evening. 22C, 10C.
