A series of fronts push northwards over New Zealand on Saturday in a southwesterly airflow. A ridge spreads over New Zealand on Sunday stretching out from an anticyclone in the Tasman Sea.

Some morning rain for the upper North Island on Saturday then easing to showers in the afternoon, showers may become heavy with thunderstorms in the afternoon for Northland and Bay Of Plenty then easing in the evening. Northwesterlies change southwest. Morning showers in the southwest then dry spells increasing from afternoon. Mainly dry in the east with some high cloud, late afternoon / evening a southwest change brings a few showers. Some morning rain for the West Coast of the South Island then easing to showers, mostly clearing evening. Showers about Southland and Otago spread northwards into Canterbury during the afternoon with a southerly change. There may be some rain about inland Canterbury from evening then easing overnight.

Mostly sunny for the western North Island on Sunday, showers in the east due to a southeasterly airflow. Morning showers clear Marlborough then mostly sunny, mostly sunny for the rest of the South Island after any morning cloud clears. Fiordland sees the odd shower at the other end of the country, Southland is mainly dry but there is the chance of a coastal shower.

By Weather Analyst Aaron Wilkinson – WeatherWatch.co.nz