A brief spell of unusually mild winter weather is giving way to more typical July conditions across the North Island, with Bay of Plenty residents set to enjoy a mostly settled but cooler weekend.

Meteorologists say pockets of warmth have been lingering along parts of the eastern North Island this week, with some centres recording temperatures well above average for July.

In the MetService’s latest weather update, meteorologist Paris Marshall said Napier reached 20C for a second consecutive day on Thursday, just shy of its July record maximum of 21.9C set in 2016.

“If you went away for the school holidays searching for warmth, I am happy to say you found it,” Marshall said.

Elsewhere, Masterton, Lower Hutt, Blenheim and Kaikōura were also expected to enjoy temperatures several degrees above their normal July averages.

However, that warmth is not expected to last.

A cooler southwesterly airflow is set to spread across the country from Friday, clearing cloud from eastern areas while bringing more cloud to western districts.

For Bay of Plenty, the outlook remains largely positive, with no significant rain expected and generally settled conditions forecast through the weekend.

The change will bring temperatures back to more typical winter levels, particularly overnight, with frosts likely in sheltered inland areas.

The settled weather will come as welcome news for families making the most of the final weekend of the school holidays and for sports fans heading outdoors.

Across much of the country, conditions are forecast to stay dry despite a weak rain band approaching the far south on Friday.

The system is expected to weaken quickly as it moves inland, leaving only isolated showers in southern areas by Sunday.

Marshall said the return of southwesterly winds would make conditions feel cooler but was nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year.

Gardeners and farmers are being urged to prepare for frosty starts over the weekend as temperatures dip overnight.

While the recent burst of warmth may have offered a taste of spring, Bay of Plenty residents can expect winter to reassert itself over the coming days, with cool mornings, crisp evenings and plenty of sunshine in between.