WeatherWatch.co.nz says the weekend will kick off with a very large high drifting in from Australia bringing lighter winds, sunnier skies and slightly warmer conditions.

The high, which covers an area the size of Australia, will slowly drift in from the Tasman Sea today and during Saturday.

Saturday may not be perfect for everyone – as we still transition from Thursday’s windy and showery change to the incoming settled high.

Highs don’t always promise sun and light winds but as the centre moves closer, towards Sunday and Monday, conditions should become far more settled across the nation following a somewhat windy, showery and coolish end to the working week for many regions.

The high is likely to weaken slightly mid next week but become re-energised by new high pressure in the southern Tasman Sea – that means the dry spell of weather should continue, generally speaking, into the last week of April.

But a few showers are likely to be in the mix next week – possibly again around north eastern parts of the North Island as winds from the easterly quarter return to the upper half the North Island.

The general trend, however, is for mostly dry weather until the last week of April when this current series of highs runs out and is most likely replaced by lows from either the sub-tropics, Tasman or Southern Ocean.

Image / Yesterday’s air pressure and rain map / Weathermap.co.nz

– WeatherWatch.co.nz