Fine weather is expected to greet those getting up early on Anzac Day before heavy wind and rain move in later over the long weekend.

'Many of us will be up early on Saturday to attend Anzac Day services and the forecast looks dry for much of New Zealand,” says MetService meteorologist Emma Blades.

The 2014 Anzac dawn service at Mount Maunganui. Photo: Rosalie Crawford.

'There is, however, the chance of the odd shower in Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel, and drizzle for the West Coast.”

Clear skies overnight on Friday in many places means temperatures are likely to be chilly during the dawn services.

Temperatures were expected to dip as low as six degrees Celsius in inland areas of the North Island, including Hamilton, Taupo and Palmerston North, as well as in Christchurch, says Emma.

Once the sun comes up though, the day will turn out to be a warm one for most.

In Tauranga, temperatures are set to reach 19 degrees during the day with an overnight low of 14.

But cloudier skies and wetter weather are forecast for the second half of the weekend and into Monday.

Emma says this is due to the high that has been acting as a block to the wetter weather waiting out over the Tasman Sea.

'The weather gradually degrades over the weekend, as the rain and cloud out to the west of the country makes its way slowly up Aotearoa,” she adds.

'Most of the country will receive rain over the weekend, although not until Monday for the North Island. Heavy falls are likely, predominantly in western parts of the country, as well as strong winds in many places.”

Northerly gales are likely for much of the North Island on Monday, with a possibility they could become severe in Northland, Auckland, Taranaki and Wellington, as well as the Marlborough Sounds.

The heaviest rain in the North Island is expected from North Taranaki across to the central high country on Monday, as well as the ranges of the Eastern Bay of Plenty and the Tararua Range later on Monday and Tuesday.