We might have gorgeous weather today, but don't go throwing your umbrellas away just yet.

The good weather vibes are set to dampen a little later on this week, with MetService predicting periods of rain over the North Island later in the week.

'A ridge of high pressure brought, for the first time in a while, sunny and settled weather to much of the country during the weekend,” says MetService meteorologist Ciaran Doolin.

'Temperatures touched on 30 degrees in a number of places, with Waiau reaching 34 degrees yesterday. 'The ridge persists over the North Island this Waitangi Day, but a front moves onto the South Island.

"The weather will be fine for much of the North Island, and the eastern South Island for a time. It's going to be very hot today, especially in eastern areas, with Gisborne heading for 35 degrees.”

The front will bring heavy rain to the West Coast, and spread rain up the east coast to South Canterbury from the afternoon, says Ciaran.

It will also be preceded by strong northwesterly winds, with severe gales possible in exposed places on the lower North Island and east coast of the South Island. The front moves onto the North Island tomorrow and slowly progresses north through Wednesday and Thursday, bringing periods of rain, especially to eastern areas.

A cooler southwest flow establishes itself over the South Island on Tuesday, which is then displaced by a ridge of high pressure which spreads across the South Island and lower North Island from the Tasman on Wednesday.

The ridge briefly establishes itself across the country on Thursday, bringing fine weather across much of the country. However, this doesn't last long as another front pushes onto the South Island on Friday.