The weather for New Zealand is mainly settled today thanks to high pressure hanging over us again, says a WeatherWatch spokesperson.

"And it is the last day with settled weather as a front heads into the South Island tomorrow bringing heavy rain for the West Coast and some rain about the far south."

The front is getting closer in the Tasman Sea and will move over the South Island on Sunday bringing heavy rain in the west.

"The heaviest falls [on Sunday] will be about South Westland and now look to be getting into a fair part of North Westland too, but for Buller later in the evening / overnight the rain will ease up a bit.

"Expect some rain about Southland and Otago also, not heavy but some rain none the less then breaking away in the evening. As the front moves northwards some scattered rain looks to now spread into Canterbury from evening then Nelson and Marlborough overnight," says a WeatherWatch spokesperson.

The North Island is largely dry on Saturday and Sunday with plenty of sun, some cloud at times for the upper North Island and in the west, sunny in the east with developing high cloud on Sunday.

"Monday the front moves in there with rain for western regions which will be welcome."

Frost risk next week

Once high pressure starts to move in, possibly as early as Tuesday next week, a frost risk develops, says WeatherWatch.

"This will start about inland parts of the lower South Island Tuesday morning then spread further northwards for Wednesday morning and could hang around for the rest of the week. Anywhere skies are clear the night before and winds are light frost potential exists, cold frosts will be about inland areas with lighter frosts nearer coastal parts.

Weather forecast for Saturday May 7:

Northland, Auckland, Waikato & Bay Of Plenty
Morning low cloud or fog breaks to sunny spells, chance of a shower for eastern Northland mainly later in the day. Light winds. Fog again overnight.
Highs: 19-21

Western North Island (including Central North Island)
Any morning low cloud or fog clears then mostly sunny, light winds.
Highs: 17-20

Eastern North Island
Sunny, morning fog possible. Light winds tend east to northeast in the afternoon.

Highs: 19-21

Wellington
A mix of sun and cloud, northerly winds.
Highs: 18-20

Marlborough & Nelson
Sunny with north to northwesterly winds.
Highs: 18-22

Canterbury
Mostly sunny with some high cloud moving in. Northerlies, northeasterlies nearer the coast.

Highs: 17-21

West Coast
A mix of sun and cloud, some morning fog for inland Buller breaks away. Fiordland has cloudier skies with showers gradually building, rain overnight. Light winds for most, northeasterlies for South Westland
Highs: 17-19

Southland &Otago
Sun and some high cloud, mid level cloud thickens up a little in the afternoon, chance spot of rain in the evening for Southland. Northerly winds.
Highs: 18-20