Bay of Plenty residents can look forward to milder temperatures this week as rain and northerly winds push out the frosty conditions.

After a clear start to Monday, temperatures are expected to steadily rise across the region. Tauranga is forecast to enjoy overnight lows in the low teens and daytime highs reaching around 15C to 17C.

MetService meteorologist John Law said the cold snap that brought a string of chilly nights was easing.

“It’s not nearly as cold as it has been,” Law said.

“As we head through the week our temperatures will be pretty warm, especially our nighttime temperatures. Wednesday and Thursday, for example, have overnight lows of around 12C and 11C.”

While Monday’s settled conditions provided a brief reprieve, cloud and rain are expected to return from Tuesday afternoon and continue through much of Wednesday as a weather system moves in from the west.

Law said the Bay of Plenty’s geography played a role in how the incoming weather would affect the region.

With northerly winds returning midweek, the Coromandel and Raukūmara ranges help funnel moisture and cloud into the Bay, bringing periods of rain but also helping keep overnight temperatures well above recent levels.

Despite the wetter forecast, daytime conditions are expected to feel noticeably less wintry than they have in recent weeks.

Whakatāne is also set for warmer weather, with temperatures forecast to range from around 6C overnight to highs of 16C during the day.

Thursday is shaping up to be the wettest day of the week, with heavier showers developing in the afternoon before continuing into Friday.

-Diana Hopkinson is a Mount Maunganui student interning at the Bay of Plenty Times and SunLive.