Long Range Weather

Issued by MetService on Tuesday 20-Jan-2026 at 11:50am

Now the MetService long range forecast for all New Zealand to midnight Saturday

The Situation

A stationary front in the north brings an easterly flow to the upper North Island today, while a ridge of high pressure covers the South Island. A tropical low sinks southeast tomorrow and onto the top of the North Island late tomorrow, while the ridge moves away to the east.

Looking at the weather to midnight tomorrow

Northland, Auckland and Coromandel

Periods of rain or showers, some heavy. Localised downpours possible.

Bay of Plenty and Taupo

Scattered rain, becoming widespread this afternoon. Heavy falls possible, especially from tomorrow afternoon.

Waikato to Taranaki, including Taumarunui and Taihape

Rain at times, possibly heavy from tomorrow afternoon.

Whanganui to Wellington

Partly cloudy. A few spots of rain north of Manawatu this evening, then rain spreading everywhere tomorrow.

Gisborne to Wairarapa

Occasional rain or showers, becoming more persistent and heavier later tomorrow afternoon.

Buller to Westland, Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury

Mainly fine. Rain spreading south tomorrow morning, with some heavy falls from afternoon.

Fiordland, Otago and Southland

Isolated showers about coastal Otago today, then scattered showers developing about Fiordland and Otago tomorrow afternoon or evening. Otherwise, mainly fine.

Chatham Islands

Mostly cloudy with isolated light showers.

And the outlook for the following three days...

Thursday

North Island: Rain with heavy falls, easing to a few showers from the west. Gale northeasterlies easing. South Island: Isolated showers about Southland. Rain with heavy falls elsewhere, clearing in the east later.

Friday

North Island: A few showers in the west, spreading elsewhere later. South Island: Showers in the south, with snow to about 1000 metres in Fiordland. Rain developing elsewhere, possibly heavy inland.

Saturday

North Island: Showers in the south, easing. A few showers elsewhere. South Island: Showers in the south and north, some heavy. Few showers elsewhere.

And at the Chathams

Cloudy periods and the chance of a shower. Rain developing on Friday, possibly heavy early Saturday, easing to a few showers later Saturday. Northeasterlies becoming strong or gale on Thursday, dying out later Friday, then southwesterlies developing Saturday.

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