Morning showers clear then sunny spells in the afternoon, brisk westerly winds. Cloud increases again overnight as winds tend northwest. About eastern Northland conditions become mostly sunny by midday with not much cloud likely.

High: 22-24

Central North Island, Waikato & Bay Of Plenty

Morning showers clear then mostly sunny in the afternoon, brisk westerly winds. Cloud increases again overnight as winds tend northwest.

Highs: 21-24

Eastern North Island

Mostly sunny after early cloud clears, a few showers about Wairarapa clear in the morning. Westerly winds, brisk in the afternoon. About Wairarapa northwesterlies become strong in the evening with high cloud developing.

Highs: 23-26

Western North Island

Morning showers clear then sunny spells develop, westerly winds become brisk in the afternoon then tend northwest in the evening with cloud thickening.

Highs: 20

Wellington

Early showers clear with weather becoming mostly sunny, southerlies die out and northerlies spring up by midday. Strong northerlies develop in the afternoon then cloud develops evening with gales possible. Some rain possible towards dawn on Saturday morning.

High: 20

Nelson

Sunny with light westerlies after any early cloud clears, northwesterlies freshen from afternoon with cloud increasing in the evening. Some rain possible towards dawn on Saturday morning.

Highs: 22-23

Marlborough

Becoming sunny in the morning with any early cloudy clearing, light winds then northwesterlies pick up in the afternoon with some high cloud developing. Strong northwesterlies overnight.

High: 26

Canterbury

Becoming sunny in the morning with any early cloudy clearing, northeasterlies develop near the coast with northwesterlies developing inland. Northwesterlies, gusty at times spread through to the coast in the afternoon and high cloud develops. Northwestlies strong for some inland areas in the afternoon with a risk of gales about exposed areas. Some rain may spread into the foothills late evening and overnight from the west.

Highs: 24-26

West Coast

Cloudy with northwesterly breezes, the odd light shower or drizzle patch. Rain about South Westland from afternoon spreads north in the evening. Heavy falls with rain. Winds change brisk southwesterly overnight about South Westland with rain easing.

Highs: 18-19

Coastal Otago

Sunny with thickening high cloud, light winds at first then northerlies pick up in the afternoon. Winds change westerly later in the evening.

Highs: 19-21

Central Otago

Thickening high cloud with northwesterly winds, strong in the afternoon. Some rain develops late afternoon then clears later in the evening with a westerly change.

Highs: 18-21

Southland

Sunny spells and increasing cloud with northwesterly winds, brief rain at times from afternoon then an evening westerly change brings a few showers.

Highs: 17-18

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz