Kiwis are set to get their first taste of summer this long weekend, with a "wave of warmth" from the subtropics bringing balmy temperatures to large swathes of the country.
The warm winds are gracing large parts of New Zealand over the next 48 hours, with those in the upper half of the North Island likely to enjoy them throughout the weekend and into next week.
The favourable weather patterns mean Labour Weekend is likely to be a scorcher for much of Aotearoa, with Saturday set to be the standout.
"While COVID-19 means we can't visit the tropical islands - at the moment the subtropics are visiting us!" Weather Watch says.
"The warmer than normal airflows are passing by Rarotonga, Tonga, just south of Fiji and near New Caledonia before moving down over parts of New Zealand."
Temperatures are likely to be well above average over the coming days, with Weather Watch describing it as feeling "more like mid- to late November" than mid-October.
Weather Watch's head forecaster Philip Duncan says Saturday will see a range of temperatures above the 20-degree mark, with some places in the east - Canterbury, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough, for example - candidates to reach the high 20s.
However Sunday and Monday could produce some spring showers and blustery conditions, which will mostly affect the South Island.
After the highs of the weekend, however, South Island and lower North Island are anticipated to see a cold change starting early next week. The chilly conditions will start in the very south and slowly creep up the country before petering out.
"The colder change in the south on Monday will see daytime highs tumble over 10 degrees in some South Island regions/ but the warmth returns by midweek in the south," Weather Watch says.
It won't last for long, though. Forecasters are anticipating another batch of high pressure and sub-tropical winds in the north.
