Despite a brief narrow bridge of high pressure for New Zealand on Wednesday, the next week looks dominated by low pressure systems, one after the other, coming from the south of Australia.

The forecast for Thursday to Sunday looks messy with showers moving through, says WeatherWatch.co.nz

'With no one single system tracking through the area it makes start and end times for rainy areas harder to pinpoint, but as you'll see over the next week amongst the downpours there will also be plenty of dry and calm - and sunny too.”

Watch the video below for head forecaster Philip Duncan's latest weather update.