A ridge maintains its presence holding settled weather over much of New Zealand.

But the MetService says a low affecting the upper north, spreads areas of rain to much of Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island come Sunday.

Clear skies were forecast for last night for many areas making great viewing conditions for  tonight’s Super Blue Moon.

That being said, fog which affected parts of Kirikiriroa/Hamilton and Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland yesterday morning is likely to return early this morning which could hamper moon gazing in those areas. 

“The majority of Te Ika-a-Māui/North Island will be fine this evening, however some areas of cloud are possible west of the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges, and also east of the Raukumara Range, which may make moon-spotting tricky at times. The east of the South Island will be in for a viewing treat, however, those on the West Coast and in the far south may struggle to get a peep,” says MetService meteorologist Dom Barry.

Heading into Saturday, settled weather continues over central Aotearoa New Zealand thanks to that ridge. Meanwhile, a front stalls over the lower South Island and a low-pressure system approaches the Far North, bringing rain and strong winds to both places. 

“An Orange Heavy Rain Warning has been issued for Fiordland about and south of George Sound from Friday morning to Saturday morning, with up to 180mm of rain expected to fall there.

“As we approach the weekend, Watches and Warnings for rain and wind associated with the low-pressure system in the north are still a possible, so please stay up to date with information on our app or website.”

The ridge pushes the rain off the lower South Island during Saturday, bringing fine weather to most of the Island over the weekend. 

Meanwhile, the low from the north continues to head southwards, bringing at least a period of rain to the entire North Island during the weekend, with northern and eastern areas likely to see a more prolonged spell of wet weather into early next week.

Eventually, the low system will affect the eastern coasts of the upper South Island on Sunday with cloud and showers developing.

Image: MetService.