Warm, sunny weather is on the cards for most of New Zealand under a broad ridge of high pressure, making that return to the office after the festivities a little harder.

It’s a sunny start to the week as a large high provides stable conditions.

Above average temperatures are forecast, especially about the central areas of both islands where they could reach the high twenties or even early thirties on Monday.

Alexandra looks set to be one of the warmer spots with a maximum of 31°C forecast. 

MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon highlights an exception to the fine weather.

“A few showers could appear in central parts of Te Ika-a-Māui / the North Island, mainly in the afternoons and evenings this week as daytime heat helps cloud build, though you would be unlucky to encounter one.”

Showers are also expected for Fiordland and southern Westland today, and for Southland and south Otago tomorrow as weak troughs brush up against the high.

Northwesterly winds become strong in the south on Wednesday night ahead of front that spreads rain up the West Coast on Thursday.

The northwesterly flow across Te Waipounamu / the South Island creates a foehn effect on Thursday, bringing especially hot, dry winds to the east before the front fizzles out on Friday.

“Temperatures are forecast to crack 30°C for most of Canterbury on Thursday, reaching 33°C in Ashburton. These dry conditions and high temperatures can be accompanied by increased fire risk, so be sure to check the risk for your area on the MetService website and checkitsalright.nz before lighting any fires,” Wotherspoon says