Sunny conditions are forecast for much of the country tomorrow. However, there will be rain in the South Island. Photo / File
New Year's Eve is going to be a good day for much of the country, with high temperatures and sunny conditions forecast.
But those in the South Island will get some rain.
Temperature highs of between 21C to 31C are expected in the North Island tomorrow and through to Sunday and early next week.
Aucklanders will wake up to a beautiful day this morning, with fine conditions and light winds expected and a temperature high of 23C.
Tomorrow is the same, with a mainly fine day forecast. However, there will be cloudy periods and a chance of shower on Sunday.
Hamilton is in for solid sunshine today and tomorrow. But there will be a few showers on Sunday and an overnight low of 9C tonight.
Further north, including Kaitaia, Whangarei and Thames, conditions are also looking good, apart from a chance of showers in the morning.
People at Rhythm & Vines, in Gisborne, will be happy to know tomorrow is looking much better than today - showers are expected this morning - with a temperature high of 25C and fine conditions throughout the day.
High cloud is increasing on Sunday, in Gisborne, but fine conditions remain through to Monday, which is forecast to hit 29C in the area.
Wellington is mostly sunny today and tomorrow, with a temperature high of 18C on both days.
MetService meteorologist Leigh Matheson said: "It's getting a bit windy around Wellington - but again, fairly mild, getting more mild than it has been in the last day.
"The North Island is pretty good - it's staying good today and it's pretty good tomorrow and getting warmer around the East Coast. So any New Year celebrations in Gisborne etc will be a pleasant evening.
Napier and Tauranga are also in for stunning conditions today and tomorrow. Temperature highs in the area will be around the early to mid 20s this weekend.
"On Sunday, the rain band gets into the lower North Island. So it's a little bit wet for a time around Nelson, Wellington and up the coast to Taranaki getting very warm around eastern areas and pretty good further north,'' Matheson said.
A front forecast to move over the South Island, from the Tasman Sea tomorrow, would mean rain.
"That doesn't particularly mar the day for everybody. It's pretty wet for the West Coast and around the alps and Queenstown and Wanaka get a bit of patchy rain around there too.
"But saying that, the temperatures are expected to warm a bit around the eastern parts of the South Island. In the last day, it's been a little cooler, [we're] expecting temperatures to warm up a bit."
There will be showers in the west, but warm and even quite hot temperatures are forecast in the eastern parts of the South Island, particularly in Canterbury.
Temperatures in the area will be in the high 20s pushing to 30C over the weekend.
Today's forecast:
Auckland: 23C high. Overnight low: 13C. Fine, light winds and afternoon sea breezes.
Kaitaia: 23C high. 13C low. Fine spells, chance morning shower. Light winds.
Whangarei: 22C high. 13C low. Fine spells, chance morning shower, light winds.
Tauranga: 21C high. 13C low. Fine. Light winds and afternoon sea breezes.
Gisborne: 19C high. 10C low. A few morning showers then fine. Southerly dying out.
New Plymouth: 20C high. 8C low. Fine. Southeast dying out early, afternoon sea breezes.
Wellington: 19C high. 13C low. Fine. Northerlies developing this morning.
Nelson: 19C high. 9C low. Some morning cloud, then sunny. Northeasterlies.
Christchurch: 21C high. 9C low. Sunshine with northeasterlies developing in afternoon.
Queenstown: 24C high. 12C low. Sunshine and light winds.
Dunedin: 17C high. 11C low. Sunny then evening cloud.
Invercargill: 16C high. 9C low. Cloudy periods.
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