A ridge of high pressure saddles New Zealand, keeping the weather settled for most of us through the beginning of this week.

The MetService warns the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Winston may affect central and northern areas of New Zealand this weekend.

TC Winston is currently a category 4 cyclone. Image: MetService.

Although a high pressure sits over the country bringing sunshine and warm temperatures to most, there is some low cloud and drizzle about, mostly for east coast areas, thanks to the moisture trapped under this high.

'Temperatures in the east warm up in the second half of the week, getting into the high twenties, while the rest of the country will be cooler in the low to mid-twenties,” says a statement from the MetService.

'More humidity arrives from the tropics affecting the north toward the end of the week, with overnight forecast minimums of up to 20 degrees and eastern areas of the North Island getting maximum daytime temperatures into the 30s.”

Tropical Cyclone (TC) 'Winston”, currently category 4, was forecast to turn in a more southerly direction yesterday, and in the latter half of the week is expected to evolve into a deep mid-latitude low.

'Looking at the latest global weather models,” says communications meteorologist Lisa Murray.

'There is an increased risk that this low could impact central and northern New Zealand during the coming weekend.”

With tropical cyclones, there is always some uncertainly associated with the tracks they will take, says Lisa.

She says the global weather models can change considerably from day to day until the track becomes stable (where the models are in more agreement).

If this low does affect New Zealand, it has the potential to be a significant weather event, and could include impacts such as increased sea swell, heavy rain which could cause flooding as well as damaging winds.

'Currently it is too early to give an accurate forecast for which regions of New Zealand are likely to be impacted, but MetService meteorologists are monitoring this situation closely and will keep you updated.

'What we can say is that it will not have the same impact and level of destruction as it did in Fiji. Any severe weather effects for New Zealand caused by this deep low will be included in severe weather warnings, watches and outlooks, as well as marine warnings and forecasts.”