The start of Labour Weekend looks to be a sunny one.

A front followed by a cold southwest change is expected to sweep across the North Island with the forecast for the Bay expected to remain fine today and tomorrow.

The Bay of Plenty should miss most of the rain forecast for the rest of the country this weekend, with Monday predicted to be the only wet day.

However, the MetService is predicting rain to close out the long weekend across the bay of Plenty on Monday.

'Gales are likely in exposed places and a period of rain is expected over most of the country,” says MetService meteorologist Erick Brenstrum.

'The colder southwesterlies will bring hail to Otago, Southland and Fiordland on Friday, with some snow on the hills down to about 400 metres.

'However, conditions should improve later on Friday and fine weather is expected in most places for the start of the long weekend, though Saturday could start off frosty in sheltered places south of Auckland.

'But it is unlikely to last all weekend. On Sunday, another front is expected to bring some rain to the South Island and this rain should spread to the North Island for a time on Monday.”