Long Range Weather

Issued by MetService on Thursday 19-Mar-2026 at 11:50am

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

The Situation

High pressure persists over the South Island today, while a low approaches the North Island from the northeast. The low moves away to the east of New Zealand on Friday, allowing the ridge of high pressure to spread across the rest of the country.

Looking at the weather to midnight tomorrow

Northland to Wellington, including Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and the central high country

Mainly fine. Isolated showers about Northland and Coromandel tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Gisborne

Occasional rain, easing later tomorrow.

Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa

Isolated showers, more widespread about Hawke's Bay, gradually clearing tomorrow with fine spells developing.

Nelson, Buller, Grey, and Westland

Cloudy periods and isolated showers today, but fine about Nelson. Mainly fine tomorrow, but isolated afternoon and evening showers about the ranges, some may be heavy.

Marlborough and Canterbury

Fine today. Mostly cloudy tomorrow, with rain or drizzle near the ranges, but fine spells in the afternoon.

Otago Southland Fiordland

Mainly fine. Areas of cloud or fog tomorrow morning, with showers about Stewart Island.

Chatham Islands

Mainly fine today. Rain developing tomorrow.

And the outlook for the following three days...

Saturday

North Island: Partly cloudy with isolated showers, but fine from Waikato to Kapiti. South Island: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the north and west. Mainly fine elsewhere.

Sunday

North Island: Cloudy periods and isolated showers in the north. Mainly fine elsewhere. South Island: Showers in the south, spreading across the Southern Alps from afternoon. Fine spells elsewhere.

Monday

North Island: Showers in the north. Fine elsewhere. South Island: Fine for most places. Showers developing in Fiordland.

And at the Chathams

Cloudy with a few showers on Saturday. Fine spells on Sunday, then showers return overnight before fine spells develop again on Monday. Gale southerlies gradually easing and tending southwest during Saturday and Sunday, then dying out later Monday.

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