NZ has a classic Autumn sou-wester today and this eases into Friday and the weekend. Next week low pressure forms north of NZ and this area of low pressure has connections with the equator part of the world – which gives this area of low pressure some extra energy to form.

We are not forecasting a storm or severe weather event – simply a large area of low pressure that – coupled with nearby high pressure – may well create some windier easterly quarter winds for northern NZ next week and perhaps some wet weather too.

But the main feature for the first HALF of this month will be a powerful block of high pressure stuck over Tasmania region and influencing the weather right across the Tasman Sea.