Tropical Cyclone (TC) Winston, currently category 1 and located over open waters southeast of New Caledonia, is moving southwest into the Tasman Sea. As Winston crossed latitude 25 south early this morning, MetService New Zealand's Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) took over responsibility  from the Fiji Meteorological Service for issuing all official advisories  and bulletins about TC Winston. 

"TC Winston is expected to pass north of Norfolk Island overnight, then to track westward towards the mid-Tasman Sea. As it does, it will lose its  tropical cyclone characteristics and evolve into a mid-latitude low," said  Communications Meteorologist Lisa Murray, "The risk of this low then  tracking across or directly impacting New Zealand is diminishing day by day. 

While TC Winston moves westward, the northerly flow to the east of the  cyclone is expected to push humid, sub-tropical air across the North Island  from Friday evening into the weekend. The humid air is expected to bring  patchy rain to many places in the North Island this weekend, though the  rain could be more significant for central areas from Taranaki across to  the Kaimanawa Ranges. Auckland and Northland are more likely to see cloud  and drizzle. "This humid sub-tropical air will also bring muggy  temperatures," said MetService Meteorologist Claire Flynn. "Overnight lows  in the late teens or early twenties are likely for much of the North Island  this weekend."

Hot temperatures are expected to continue for some places in the east of the South Island, due to gusty northwesterly winds combined with warm air  from Australia. However, the lower South Island has cooled off briefly  today with a southerly change. Looking ahead, it is expected to heat up in  the east on Friday before another southerly front cools things off in the  south on Saturday and then moves further up the South Island on Sunday.  Periods of rain in the west and south of the South Island are expected to  ease to a few showers on Saturday, while Canterbury, Marlborough and Nelson  will remain mostly fine throughout the weekend.

Meanwhile, back in the tropics there is a tropical depression lying well northeast of Rarotonga which could potentially develop into a tropical  cyclone in the next couple of days. For more information about what is  going on in the Pacific, visit

http://www.metservice.com/warnings/tropical-cyclone-activity  

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