Parts of NZ will be several degrees above normal with highs in the mid to late 20s ahead of a cold change from Australia arriving this weekend – and peaking early next week.

The lower South Island, like Central Otago, will go from highs closer to 30 degrees to possibly some places not even reaching double digits by Tuesday.

A storm from Australia arrives this Sunday and Monday in the NZ area bringing more rain and wind and the colder airflow. The colder airflow is moving over Australia today and peaks on Thursday and Friday as it tracks eastwards towards the Tasman Sea.

It’s this colder change that will also fuel the low in the southern Tasman Sea to deepen into a storm over the weekend with very low air pressure (970hPa at sea).