Your weather: Cold blast moving on, fine weather moving in

The week's cold blast is all but gone with mostly fine weather remaining and into the weekend.

A southwest flow remained over the country this morning, but it would ease through the day with a ridge bringing fine weather, MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said.

"There will still be a number showers all over the place, and a bit of cloud, but nothing too significant with plenty of fine breaks mixed in as well."

Auckland was in for a high of 15C with light southwesterlies and the occasional shower.

The ridge of high pressure would remain until the start of the weekend, before northwesterlies developed over the South Island late Friday ahead of an oncoming front.

The northwesterlies would bring a rise in temperatures across the country - a welcome change after a week that saw icy southerlies and snow falling to 300m in the South Island.

The front was expected to reach the lower South Island late on Saturday and cross the island on Sunday, bringing periods of heavy rain to the West Coast and alps, and strong northwesterlies about exposed eastern areas.

Heavy rain was expected about Fiordland and Westland south of Otira, also the Otago and Canterbury headwaters, from late Saturday through to late Sunday.

Westland, Buller, and northwest Nelson could also receive some heavy downpours.

The front would move northeast across the North Island on Monday, bringing rain to western areas.

Today's weather

Whangārei

Fine spells, and chance light shower. Southwest breezes. 16C high, 6C overnight.

Auckland

​ Fine spells, isolated showers. Southwest breezes. 15C high, 8C overnight.

Hamilton

Fine spells, and chance light shower. Southwest breezes. 15C high, 2C overnight.

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Tauranga

Fine. Southwest breezes. 16C high, 5C overnight.

New Plymouth Few morning showers. Southwesterlies. 14C high, 5C overnight.

Napier Often cloudy. Shower possible. Southwest winds die away this afternoon. 13C high, 5C overnight.

Whanganui​ Long fine spells, possible morning shower. Light winds. 15C high, 5C overnight.

Wellington Morning shower or two, otherwise fine. Southerlies dying out. 12C high, 6C overnight.

Nelson Cloudy at times, chance shower from afternoon. Light winds. 12C high, 6C overnight.

Christchurch Cloud clearing around dawn then fine. Southwest breeze. 13C high, 1C overnight.

Dunedin Fine. May see a morning shower. Southwesterlies. 11C high, 5C overnight.