A milder start to the week can be expected in most places as high pressure sits over much of the country today, bringing settled and warmer conditions.

This high slides north of the country as a low pressure system and its fronts affect New Zealand's weather in the second half of the week.

People are being warned to enjoy the sunshine while it lasts.

The Bay of Plenty will see a few fines days before rain is forecast to move in sometime on Thursday.

Showers are then expected through to the weekend.

'A warm front swept over the South Island last night which is expected to lift today's morning minimums up above the frosty temperatures that have been common in the last week,” says meteorologist Rob Kerr.

'There will be some dramatic changes in daytime highs too, as warm nor'westers touch down across eastern areas, pushing the daily maximums up around the 20C mark.

'It's not all 'hints of summer' though,” cautions Rob,

'Northwesterlies bring rain to western and southern parts of the South Island today, which looks to persist for much of the week. This rain spreads north towards the end of the week as a front sweeps over the country.

'As the frontal band reaches the upper North Island later on Friday and early Saturday, there may be a risk of heavy rain in a few places.”