A heavy rain watch is in place for Dunedin and North Otago overnight and into Sunday.
MetService this morning issued the watch, covering 12 hours from 2am to 2pm tomorrow.
The forecaster says rain could be heavy at times and might approach warning criteria.
Rain is also set to soak eastern parts of the lower North Island and the top of the South Island over the weekend.
MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon said there was “still some question” about where the heaviest falls would be.
A low-pressure centre was likely to develop inside a front moving over the country: “Where the low will centre will form ... will determine where the heaviest rain falls,” Wotherspoon said.
“The most likely areas will be along the eastern stretch of the country.”
As the low-pressure centre forms, it is likely strong northeasterly winds will swirl around and hit the country.
“By the end of the weekend most corners of the country will have seen some wet weather,” Wotherspoon said.
It comes off the back of a clear, chilly run of days for much of the country since bitter winds buffeted the country earlier this week.
“There are ... a few good days on the horizon next week as the low moves away,” Wotherspoon said.
- ODT Online/NZ Herald