If there is an upside to being in lockdown, the MetService may have it.
The weather across Otago and Southland is expected to be settled and sunny, with strong northerly quarter winds bringing temperatures up to 19degC by Tuesday.
The only areas to have wet weather will be Fiordland and Westland.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said a high pressure system would move on to the country today, bringing dry but nippy weather.
‘‘Cold starts will give way to sunny skies for most, which will no doubt be welcome news for those looking forward to their daily bubble walks.”
She said a front would arrive on Sunday and stagnate over the top of the South Island.
“This front brings rain for the western parts of the South Island, marking the onset of what will be a wet week for the West Coast, while the majority of the country gets a run of dry weather, albeit windy for some, for much of next week.”
Northwesterlies would strengthen across southern and central New Zealand on Sunday ahead of the front approaching from the Tasman Sea.
A second front was expected to approach the country from the southwest late on Monday, and become slow-moving to the south of the South Island on Tuesday.
Then on Wednesday, a low pressure system was forecast to deepen over the Tasman Sea.
These weather systems were expected to maintain strong and moist north to northwest winds across much of central and southern New Zealand throughout much of the week.
It was also likely that north to northwest winds would approach severe gales in exposed parts of Fiordland, Southland and Otago on Sunday and Tuesday.
She said the strong winds would bring the eastern South Island some of its warmest highs of the month so far.
Dunedin temperatures were expected to rise to 18degC on Monday and 19degC on Tuesday.
On the same days, Oamaru and Invercargill were forecast to reach 17degC and 18degC, respectively.
However, on the West Coast, there was likely to be warning amounts of rainfall in Fiordland, which could continue until Wednesday.
