A sprinkling of showers have ushered in the start of the week in the Bay of Plenty, as a weak area of low pressure sits across the country.

The MetService is forecasting more occasional showers, with a chance of them becoming heavy at times, for the region today.

Rain will bring little relief to the Bay of Plenty this week.

Meteorologist Peter Little says most of the rainy activity will be fuelled by daytime heating, and some of the showers could develop into thunderstorms.

On Wednesday, an active front is expected to muscle its way up the South Island and over the lower North Island.

This front brings a period of rain to the West Coast, and a strong, showery southerly change to eastern parts of the South Island and lower North Island, says Peter.

'Though any showers reaching dry eastern areas will be welcomed by farmers and growers, most can expect only a few millimetres,” he says.

'Conditions improve in most places on Thursday, as the front dissipates by the time it reaches the upper North Island and a new ridge of high pressure spreads over the country.”

Peter says this is good news for those following the Cricket World Cup, as dry conditions are expected when Afghanistan take on Scotland in Dunedin on Thursday.

Peter adds: 'Though a new high moves in later this week, the atmosphere remains unstable over the North Island, so isolated showers are expected during the afternoon and evenings”.

'Expect more of the same on Friday, with mostly fine weather across the country but isolated showers for northern and inland parts of the North Island.

'Late in the day another front brings strengthening northerlies to the South Island, along with rain for the West Coast.”