A ridge of high pressure lies over the country on Thursday extending out from an anticyclone in the Tasman Sea.

Mostly sunny for the upper / western North Island on Thursday, some morning mid level cloud for Northland then clearing. Some cloud for the east coast, a light shower or two possible for Hawkes Bay and Gisborne.

Cloudy areas for the West Coast of the South Island, light showers about Fiordland. Mostly sunny with some high cloud in the east. Cloudy areas about Southland, a spit or shower possible for coastal parts at times otherwise mainly dry.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz