Wild weather on the way bringing warm temps, strong winds, heavy rain

Make the most of the settled weather because come this weekend it is about to get tipped upside down.

WeatherWatch NZ said above average temperatures were coming, but so too heavy rain and strong winds in places.

The signs of things to come had already begun at the bottom of the South Island.

This morning brought frosty temperatures across upper parts of the country, with Auckland on -1C, parts of Waikato on -3C, the Central Plateau -4C, and north Canterbury and Mackenzie Country in the South Island -5C.

However, at the bottom of the South Island the developing north to northwest airflow had already pushed Gore to a very mild 10C and Invercargill 9C.

A few more colder than average (🔵) mornings in the North Island before the week ends, but warmer than average air (🔴) spreads across New Zealand this weekend. pic.twitter.com/tVVrDWXlc0

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 3, 2018

"This warmer and windier northwest flow will move up the South Island over Thursday and Friday then up and over all of New Zealand across the weekend and for much of next week too."

The northwest winds could become strong to gale through central New Zealand over the weekend and some eastern ranges on Sunday.

Wet weather in the west and dry out east was likely over the coming week.

Rain could be heavy at times over the weekend right up the West Coast, and also Taranaki.

However, Saturday and Sunday were forecast to be warmer than average for many regions, especially in the east.

A colder change was forecast to develop on Sunday and Monday in the lower half of the South Island, with westerly and southwest winds dominating next week.