Two weather systems will battle it out to decide whether rain or shine will loom over the Easter long weekend.
A ridge of high pressure was expected to bring stable weather for Good Friday, but a low to the north could mean rain for Northland.
The rest of the long weekend “still holds a lot of uncertainty,” MetService said.
It remained unclear who would win the ‘battle’ between the two weather systems.
READ MORE:
* The newly serviced Cook Strait ferry has technical problems in Marlborough Sounds
* What’s on this Easter weekend in Auckland
* Crash, a one-eyed rescue cat stars as Cadbury’s next Easter Bunny
“Because of this uncertainty, holiday weekend forecasts will change in the coming days.”
In its extended forecast on Monday, MetService predicted some showers to dissipate on Good Friday in the west of the North Island, with scattered rain to the east and north.
ALDEN WILLIAMS/Stuff
What are the chances of perfect Easter weather? MetService remains cautious for the time being.
In the South Island on Friday, it was expected to improve in the west and showers to dissipate in the east.
City forecasts have a cloudy Good Friday in Auckland, with easterly winds turning fresh and a chance of a late shower.
Wellington and Christchurch are expected to have a cloudy start to Good Friday before clearing up to good weather.
The latest MetService severe weather forecast, issued Monday morning, had little confidence in heavy rain in Northland on Friday and Saturday and in the Gisborne region on Saturday.
For what it’s worth – which may not be much given the uncertainty of the lengthy Easter holiday forecast – Northland will have a few showers on Sunday and Monday.
Denise Piper/Stuff
Paihia beach. The first two days of the Easter holiday can be rainy in Northland. (file photo)
Auckland will have a rainy Saturday and then partly cloudy conditions on Sunday and Monday.
The outlook for the Coromandel Peninsula, a popular holiday destination for Aucklanders, is bleak for now, with a few late showers on Friday, rain and wind on Saturday, a dry day on Sunday and then showers on Monday.
Bay of Plenty looks a bit more hopeful with only a chance of showers on Friday, occasional rain on Saturday, partly cloudy on Sunday and showers on Monday.
Waikato, Rotorua and Taupō appear to be dry for the first three days of the break, with showers on Monday.
Taranaki is shown to be doing well for the first three days – with maybe a few isolated showers on Friday, then a sunny Saturday – but rain on Monday.
In addition to rain on Saturday, Gisborne can sometimes be wet on Friday and Sunday, but the forecast for now shows that it will be dry on Monday.
Christel Yardley/Stuff
The forecast shows three dry days in Taupō over the Easter holiday, with showers on Monday. (file photo)
Hawke’s Bay is looking a bit more hopeful, with occasional showers on Friday, maybe a bit more on Saturday, than a chance of dry spells over the next two days.
The Wellington region could start with some showers on Friday, but the forecast shows it clearing up to good, followed by a nice Saturday, a dry Sunday and a few showers on Monday.
The forecast for the top of the South Island suggests a chance of three dry days, with showers or rain on Monday.
Four dry days had been predicted for Canterbury Plains, but the wind would come from the east or northeast.
The first two days of the break are expected to be good in Central Otago, with it becoming cloudy on Sunday and showers on Monday.
The rest of Otago looks mostly dry, with a chance of showers on Monday. Southland is shown with a chance of a few dry days followed by two showery days.