Warmer nor’west winds will move across NZ on Saturday, strengthening overnight and across Sunday with the chance of damaging gusts across large parts of the South Island and the lower half of the North Island. Some places will break the 20 degree mark thanks to the nor’wester – ahead of the cold change arriving in the South Island on Sunday.

Heavy rain will move into West Coast with thunderstorms possible and snow on the mountains and ranges as the polar boundary returns across the South Island by the afternoon – but doesn’t look to move into the North Island.

High pressure will be parked around Northland.

Next week has more westerly winds before high pressure returns – then a large low exiting Australia may reach NZ by the end of next week.

We have your 8 day NZ forecast from today to next Friday – and an 8 day rainfall map to make sense of it all.