Kaikoura, New Zealand

Weather Underground Forecast for Saturday, February 11, 2012.

Weak weather features will bring a few scattered showers to parts of Asia on Saturday. A ridge of high pressure creates a blocking pattern as it sits over the Yellow and East China Seas, stretching westward into northern China and eastward over the Korean Peninsula. This will create another dry and sunny day for most of northern Asia. Expect Beijing to see plenty of sunshine with highs near 40(F)/ 4(C), while Seoul will also be sunny but slightly cooler with highs in the lower 30s(F)/ near 1(C). Meanwhile, multiple troughs of low pressure will move around this system to the south and east. One trough of low pressure will move over southern China, pulling moist air in from the South China Sea. Expect light and widespread rain showers to develop from northern Vietnam through Shanghai. Expect increasingly cloudy skies in Shanghai throughout the day with highs in the mid-40s(F)/ near 6(C), with rain showers developing in the afternoon and evening hours. Hong Kong will remain dry with partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid-60s(F)/ upper teens(C). To the east, another trough will linger over Japan, bringing scattered rain and mountain snow showers to eastern and northern Japan. Expect Tokyo to remain dry with mostly cloudy skies and highs in the lower 40s(F)/ near 5(C).

Near Australia, Tropical Cyclone Jasmine will continue losing strength as it moves eastward and away from the South Pacific Islands and northern New Zealand. By Saturday, this system will be at tropical storm strength with winds between 39 and 73 mph (33 to 64 knots). To the west, Tropical Cyclone Twelve continues spinning in the South Indian Ocean. This system may reach category 1 strength on Saturday with winds between 74 and 93 mph (64 and 82 knots). This storm will continue tracking southwestward, towards northern Madagascar, possibly making landfall on Sunday.

Elsewhere, high pressure over Australia creates another dry and calm weather day. Onshore flow in the east will push warm and moist air into New South Whales, triggering showers and thunderstorms along the coasts. Expect Sydney to see a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day with highs in the mid-70s(F)/ lower 20s(C).