Long Range Weather

Issued by MetService on Thursday 29-Jan-2026 at 11:50am

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

The Situation

A front moves up the South Island today, displacing a ridge of high pressure as it goes. However, a new ridge builds over the lower South Island in the evening. Tomorrow, the ridge expands to cover the country.

Looking at the weather to midnight tomorrow

Northland to Waikato, also Coromandel

Generally fine, with isolated showers about inland Northland in the afternoons and evenings.

Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Taupo and the Tararua District

Mainly fine today. Isolated afternoon and evening showers tomorrow.

Waitomo to Horowhenua Kapiti Coast, also Taumarunui and Taihape

Cloud increasing this evening, with patchy drizzle, clearing to fine tomorrow morning.

Wellington, also Wairarapa (excluding the Tararua District), Marlborough and Nelson

Partly cloudy. Isolated afternoon or evening showers possible about Wellington and Marlborough. A shower or two about Wairarapa tomorrow morning, then becoming fine.

Buller, Grey and Westland

Showers, becoming isolated this evening and clearing tomorrow.

Canterbury, Otago and Southland

Cloudy periods. Showers becoming confined to the east coast this evening and becoming mainly fine elsewhere.

Fiordland

Isolated showers.

Chatham Islands

Cloudy periods, and the odd shower this evening.

And the outlook for the following three days...

Saturday

North Island: Becoming fine in the east. Partly cloudy elsewhere with a shower or two. South Island: Cloudy periods and a few showers in Fiordland and Southland. Mainly fine elsewhere.

Sunday

North Island: Mainly fine. South Island: Cloud increasing in the west with rain developing south of the glaciers. Mainly fine elsewhere, but patchy rain developing south of Dunedin later.

Monday

North Island: Cloud increasing and showers developing, possibly heavy in the west and south. South Island: Rain spreading north, heavy at times in the west, easing to showers from the south later.

And at the Chathams

Fine at first. Showers developing late Saturday, clearing to fine again on Sunday morning. Cloud increasing and showers developing later on Monday. Westerlies turning northerly for a time on Saturday, then dying out late Sunday. Strong northerlies developing on Monday.

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