As many parts of the country continue with recovery efforts after last week’s intense weather, MetService is forecasting minimal chance of severe weather this week.

However, the final week of January starts off showery and cool, before high pressure builds mid-week, creating calmer conditions, particularly for the North Island.

Most centres celebrating Auckland Anniversary Day yeasterday, including Tauranga, saw showers easing in the afternoon, the MetSetvice said.

Today in Tauranga, the weather is looking fine, apart from a few showers late afternoon and early evening, light winds and daytime northwesterlies.

MetService Meteorologist Michael Pawley said a few showers persist into Tuesday, but the easing trend is set to continue this week as many students head back to school, and others have their last opportunity to get outdoors before term starts.

“Showers could be heavy and thundery about the inland ranges of the North Island and upper South Island on Tuesday afternoon as the ground heats up, setting up daytime convection,” Pawley said.

“Most places, however, will see showers clearing in the afternoon and evening.”

Temperatures also look to bounce back to milder mid 20s for most towns in the North Island as last weekend’s lingering southwesterly winds gradually ease.

Canterbury has a rollercoaster of temperatures this week.

Ashburton and Timaru are forecast to reach a cool maximum of 16C on Tuesday.

Then northwesterly winds picking up from Wednesday pump the temperature up to a forecast 27C on Thursday for Ashburton and Christchurch, before they plummet again as a cold front moves through later that day.

This cold front will also bring rain to the West Coast of the South Island, but is expected to weaken as it moves north, with the high pressure holding fast over the North Island.