High pressure over New Zealand brings another day of sunny autumnal weather on Thursday, but expect downpours and gales to arrive for the weekend.

The high was expected to hold on until late on Friday, when a complex low was forecast to move in from the Tasman Sea, says MetService meteorologist Tom Adams.

"This low will be bringing rain and strong winds for the weekend, with the chance of snow for higher passes in the South Island."

MetService says heavy rain is possible from Saturday to Sunday in Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo and northern Gisborne.

It's also possible but less likely for northern Westland, Buller, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and eastern Otago.

Easterlies might reach severe gale strength on the weekend for much of the North Island, excluding Wairarapa, and for Nelson, Buller and northern Westland.

From Sunday to Monday there was a low risk of heavy rain for Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington.

But before then, most of the country is expected to have a fine Thursday, with a chance of fog in some places. Showers or rain are possible in the southwest of the South Island, and there could be a few morning showers about coastal Southland and Otago.

Auckland is forecast to be fine, apart from some low cloud or fog in the morning, with light winds and a high of 20 degrees Celsius.

Wellington is expected to be fine, getting to 18C, with northerlies and some evening cloud. Christchurch is expected to be fine, with a little high cloud from afternoon, northeasterlies and a 20C high.

- Stuff

Tasman turning busy