3pm Update

A large high is moving in from the Tasman Sea for our weekend – so what does that mean for your Saturday?

Conditions are quickly improving across New Zealand this afternoon.

Here’s the latest national forecast for Saturday afternoon and evening direct from the Weather Watch Centre – issued at 3pm, Saturday:

Saturday: 

• West Coast of the North Island:  Some cloud is still trapped under the high this afternoon so cloudy periods may still produce one or two very light showers and drizzle patches from coastal Taranaki to Northland – and this still includes Auckland – however conditions will continue to improve this afternoon with those winds dying out this evening.
• Bay of Plenty, Central Plateau, East Cape, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Blenheim, Canterbury: Those winds will ease tonight and skies should clear right up this afternoon.. 
• Dunedin, Southland:  Strong winds continuing but easing overnight.  Sunny spells increasing.
• Central Otago:  Sunny and windy but those winds will die out tonight  and it’ll be very close to a frost tonight – in fact some sheltered valleys may even get a very light frost.
• West Coast:  Conditions improving. 

Sunday:  The high will significantly strengthen over New Zealand tomorrow with two centres on either side of the North Island – that means a much calmer day than today, however some coastal cloud is still possible in western and northern regions.  

We’ll have a detailed Sunday forecast tomorrow morning, along with Bathurst weather and a look ahead to next week.  Be sure to check back!