Long Range Weather

Issued by MetService on Tuesday 17-Mar-2026 at 11:50am

Now the MetService long range forecast for all New Zealand to midnight Saturday

The Situation

A ridge is over most of the country today, while a front, preceded by strong northwesterlies, moves onto the lower the South Island late in the day. Tomorrow, the ridge remains over the North Island, while the front moves northeast over the South Island bringing cool southerlies.

Looking at the weather to midnight tomorrow

Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne

Areas of cloud and isolated showers.

The remainder of the North Island

Mainly fine. Areas of morning cloud or fog, and isolated showers developing about the eastern ranges and Central Plateau in the afternoons.

Nelson and Marlborough

Mainly fine. Becoming cloudy with a few showers tomorrow afternoon.

Canterbury

Cloudy periods. Scattered rain developing tomorrow morning, easing in the evening.

Buller to Westland

Mostly cloudy. Showers south of Hokitika, spreading north this evening, turning to rain for a time tomorrow morning and afternoon.

Otago and Southland

Cloudy periods. Isolated showers in Southland and Clutha this afternoon. Scattered rain developing tomorrow morning, then clearing to fine in the afternoon.

Fiordland

Rain, some heavy, clearing to fine tomorrow afternoon

Chatham Islands

Mainly fine. Chance of a shower tonight.

And the outlook for the following three days...

Thursday

North Island: Areas of morning cloud or fog, otherwise mainly fine. However, rain developing in the east in the morning. South Island: Cloudy periods and isolated showers from afternoon in Buller, Grey and northern Westland. Mainly fine with areas of morning and evening cloud elsewhere.

Friday

North Island: Cloudy with scattered rain in the east. Mainly fine elsewhere with isolated afternoon showers developing inland. South Island: Cloudy in Canterbury and Marlborough with a few light showers. Mainly fine elsewhere. Isolated afternoon or evening showers inland in Nelson and Buller.

Saturday

North Island: Partly cloudy, with isolated showers in the east and south. South Island: Fine, apart from isolated showers in the north and west.

And at the Chathams

Partly cloudy, then cloud increasing on Thursday. A few showers on Friday. Northerlies, dying out on Thursday. Southeasterlies develop on Friday, becoming strong later.

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