Weather Workshop: 5 day forecast for NZ

The long range forecast from Weather Workshop for all of New Zealand to midnight Sunday:

Situation: A ridge of high pressure is spreading onto much of the country today from an anticyclone over the Tasman Sea. Tomorrow the high should drift towards northern New Zealand as a northwest flow strengthens over the South Island ahead of a developing trough near southeast Australia. Friday sees the high moving away to the northeast as the trough approaches from the west. A cold front is expected to cross most areas Saturday and is followed by a disturbed southwest airstream.

NORTHLAND, AUCKLAND, COROMANDEL PENINSULA, BAY of PLENTY/ROTORUA, WAIKATO, WAITOMO, TAUMARANUI, TARANAKI, TAUPO, TAIHAPE, WANGANUI and MANAWATU: Generally fine today and tomorrow with overnight frosts but a few cloudy periods from later Thursday in the west from Taranaki south. Remaining mostly fine about Bay of Plenty Friday, elsewhere cloud increasing with showers developing. Rain becoming widespread Saturday then a change to colder southwesterlies at night with snow likely about the volcanic plateau and main ranges. Showers clearing Sunday.

GISBORNE, HAWKES BAY and WAIRARAPA: Showers clearing south of Napier today and further north early tomorrow. Conditions then fine and frosty. Friday sees dry weather with northwesterlies and high cloud. Rain and cold southerlies spreading north later Saturday. Showers gradually clearing from the south Sunday.

WELLINGTON: Remaining showers about the eastern hills clearing today and fine and frosty everywhere overnight. Tomorrow a few areas of cloud with northerlies. Friday sees strengthening northerly winds with cloudy periods and late showers. Rain early Saturday then colder with southerlies developing. Showers clearing Sunday.

NELSON: Fine and frosty today and much of tomorrow. Cloudy Friday with rain in the western ranges spreading east later. Rain, widespread for a time Saturday then clearing. Fine and frosty Sunday.

MARLBOROUGH and CANTERBURY: Fine and frosty today, the odd remaining coastal shower north of Banks Peninsula soon clearing. Tomorrow dry and cold with high cloud. Rain about the main divide and western ranges Friday with a few falls spreading elsewhere briefly. Early Saturday sees a cold southwest change with a period of rain and snow to the ranges then showers retreating to the coast with fine periods increasing inland. Mainly fine and cold Sunday.

BULLER, WESTLAND and FIORDLAND: Cloudy about Fiordland today with light showers, elsewhere mainly fine and frosty. Cloud spreading to most places tomorrow with patchy rain likely as far north as central Westland. Widespread rain Friday. Colder southwesterlies working north Saturday with rain clearing. Sunday sees a mix of cloudy and fine periods with a few showers.

OTAGO and SOUTHLAND: Fine and frosty in most areas but about the south coast cloudy periods. Northwesterlies strengthening tomorrow with drizzle about western Southland and near Foveaux Strait, elsewhere dry. Brief rain spreading from the west Friday. Colder southwesterly conditions Saturday with snow to the ranges then showers retreating to the south coast. Showers may become more
widespread Sunday with southwesterlies continuing.

CHATHAM ISLANDS: Showers becoming less frequent tomorrow with southwest winds easing and turning westerly later. Cloudy westerlies Friday. Rain and northwest winds Saturday then colder Sunday with showers, winds turning southwest.

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