Your weather: rain, showers for weekend as 'changeable' weather pattern shifts over New Zealand

Unstable weather is forecast over the next few days as a series of fronts approach the country. Photo / File

An unsettled few days are ahead for the country, with rain and showers for most as a series of fronts approach from the Tasman Sea.

For most, though, Friday would remain fine and sunny, with temperatures in the late teens to early 20s.

Auckland was in for a fine day, with southwesterlies and a high of 21C.

MetService meteorologist Hannah Moes said things would start to change from tonight as a front moved onto the far south and moved up the country tomorrow, reaching the North Island by the evening.

Minimum temperatures Saturday morning. A strong front approaching the country late tomorrow into Saturday will mean that a lot main centres won't drop much below the double digit mark with a few towns around the country above their average for this time of year. ^KL pic.twitter.com/jeHgQgtlDy

— MetService (@MetService) April 25, 2019

Most of the rain was forecast for the South Island's West Coast, but much of the country would see showers at some point.

Strong winds were also forecast in eastern areas.

Strong wind gusts will be (part) of the weather story tomorrow for the South Island as a S'ly change marches north. Gusts of 80-100 km/h will be common (helpful hint: red = 100+ km/h gusts).

Animation ⬇️ shows our high-res forecast wind gusts. pic.twitter.com/3MGo3A62HV

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) April 25, 2019

Another front would arrive on Sunday, moving up the country through the day and into Monday, bringing another round of rain and showers.

"It is looking like quite a changeable few days," Moes said.

NIWA's NZ Drought Index (NZDI) shows that dry to very dry soils remain across a substantial portion of the North Island and a piece of the lower South Island.

Rain over the next 7-10 days may bring a bit of improvement to the SI, but drier than normal conditions remain in the NI pic.twitter.com/QpWHImlGE5

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) April 25, 2019

Late on Monday and Tuesday, a ridge was forecast to spread onto the country from the west.

Today's weather

Whangārei

Cloudy periods. Southwest breezes. 21C high, 10C overnight.

Auckland

Cloudy periods. Southwesterlies dying out evening. 21C high, 13C overnight.

Hamilton

Cloudy periods. Westerly breezes dying out evening. 21C high, 11C overnight.

Tauranga

Fine, apart from some morning cloud. Southwesterlies. 23C high, 11C overnight.

New Plymouth Cloudy periods, chance light shower. Westerlies. 20C high, 14C overnight.

Napier Fine, some morning cloud. Light winds. 23C high, 8C overnight.

Whanganui Cloudy periods. Westerly breezes. 21C high, 13C overnight,

Wellington Fine, then evening cloud. Northerlies strengthening. 19C high, 14C overnight.

Nelson Fine. Southwesterlies turning northwest afternoon. 22C high, 10C overnight.

Christchurch Fine. Northeasterlies. 19C high, 9C overnight.

Dunedin Fine with some high cloud. Northeasterlies strengthening. 18C high, 12C overnight.