High pressure will be covering much of New Zealand early this week although a low is moving southeastwards and is expected to lie north of the country by the end Tuesday, MetService said.

"Winds are expected to pick up in the north of the North Island," said MetService.

"There is low confidence that wind warnings will be needed for Northland at night."

On Wednesday, August 27, a low is forecast to continuemoving southeastwards to the north of the North Island.

"A ridge through central parts of the country will weaken as a front approaches southern New Zealand from the Tasman Sea."

MetService said there is low confidence that southeasterly winds about Northland, Great Barrier Island and northern Coromandel Peninsula will require warnings.

"There is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will fall in Tairawhiti/Gisborne north of Gisborne city. For Fiordland and Southland there is low confidence that northwest winds will reach severe gale."

On Thursday, a low to the north of the North Island is expected to move away to the southeast.

"A front moves northwards over the South Island, bringing rain to the west of the South Island and southern North Island. Strong northwest winds precede the front."

MetService said there is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will fall north of Gisborne city during the morning.

"There is low confidence that heavy rain about Fiordland, western Southland, the ranges of Westland, Grey and Buller, and headwaters of Canterbury and Otago will require a warning.

"For Fiordland, Southland, inland areas of Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough, as well as the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington and southern Wairarapa there is low confidence that northwest winds will be strong enough to require a warning."

The front is expected to cross the North Island on Friday, followed by an unsettled west to southwest flow and a narrow ridge.

There is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will fall about the Tararua Range, and central North Island areas near Tongariro National Park. There is low confidence that a warning will be required for severe westerly gales about exposed parts of Wairarapa and the Tararua District.