Niwa forecaster Nava Fedaeff said cloud cover allowing, Matariki (also known as Pleiades) would come into view shortly before sunrise as a small, pulsating collection of stars, just above the northeastern horizon.
Its early-morning midwinter appearance heralds the start of the Maori New Year and calls people together to remember and honour those who have been lost since the last rising of Matariki.
Ms Fedaeff said weather conditions would vary around New Zealand this weekend, so the Niwa weather team had prepared forecasts for early-morning cloud cover later this week, which would allow whanau around the country to work out the best time to see Matariki rise.
In the lower South Island, the best time and place to see it would be on Friday morning in coastal Otago and Southland, including Dunedin and Invercargill, she said.
The sky would be mostly clear on Friday morning, but it would be mostly cloudy on Saturday morning and there was a chance of morning showers on Sunday.
For those on the West Coast (including Greymouth and Hokitika), it was unlikely they would get a view, she said.
The forecast was for mostly cloudy and possibly wet weather over the three days.
"The best viewing looks to be in the lower North Island and eastern South Island, especially on Friday and Saturday mornings.
"On Sunday morning, more widespread cloud cover will make Matariki viewing difficult across most of New Zealand."
For those unable to view the star cluster first-hand, she said Niwa’s Bream Bay live weather camera would be pointing in the direction of Matariki for the next nine days, hoping to capture its early morning rising.
