MetService is forecasting broad areas of severe weather with some of it lasting into Friday as an active cold front pushes up the country.

The front moves over the central North Island around midday Friday and is replaced by a welcome ridge of high pressure and settled weather late Saturday and into Sunday.

MetService meteorologist Andy Best says, 'As the cold front moves up the South Island, temperatures over the east of the South Island rise to between 20 and 23 degrees from Kaikōura to Oamaru due to the strong northwest winds. But there is a sting in the front's tail, as the southerly change brings much cooler conditions and light frosts are forecast for early Friday morning in many South Island places.”

'The North Island also sees the effects of the gusty northwesterlies. The nor'westers keep much of the North Island relatively warm , with places such as Hamilton and Taupō around 6 degrees above average for this time of year. However, Friday night is looking a lot cooler, as the cold air behind the front sweeps across the North Island.”

On Saturday, the North Island sees only a few showers about western and eastern coasts, while the remainder of the island is fine. Fine too for much of the South Island, apart from a few showers in the west and about the far south.

Saturday's temperatures over the country will be about average for September with high's in the mid-teens.

Sunday turns on fine weather for all of Aotearoa, as we bid fare well to the cool southerlies and welcome a building ridge of high pressure. Any residual showers about Gisborne and Hawkes Bay will clear during the morning, while just a few continue to affect Fiordland.

The ridge is expected to stay over most of the country on Monday, making for a mainly fine start to the new working week. Western places will see some cloud, with isolated showers developing from Waikato northwards later in the day and rain developing over Fiordland.