Santa didn't bring summer to New Zealand, and you won't find it at the Boxing Day sales either.
Spring-like weather patterns are set to continue across the country this week, in part because of a big high that's brought scorching temperatures and fuelled bush fire misery across the Tasman.
Todaywould continue to be unsettled, and the outlook wasn't much better for the rest of the week. In fact, on Saturday, it's worse, MetService meteorologist Andy Best said.
"We're in very unsettled, almost spring-like conditions. We're seeing endless fronts coming across the Southern Ocean."
Northern parts of Aotearoa were the warmest today, with Whitianga recording the highest maximum of 25C, Tauranga and Taumaranui came in as close runners up with 24C. Cloud made for a cool day again in the south, with Dunedin recording the lowest maximum of 14C.^AB pic.twitter.com/ctp1u26pLz
Many places would see patchy rain or showers today. Morning rain turns to showers in eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa. Thunderstorms were possible inland.
Central North Islanders, including those in Manawatū, northern Wairarapa, Taupō, inland Waikato and north to Coromandel, could expect showers turning heavy later in the day.
From Wellington to southern Taranaki, today would be generally fine with high cloud, Best said.
Western parts of Waikato, as well as Auckland and Northland, would be cloudy with isolated showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon.
In the South Island, Cantabrians would wake to cloud, and there would be isolated showers for the rest of the island, except in Southland and Clutha.
"In the afternoon showers could pop up anywhere in inland South Island."
People have been putting on a brave face - as with this Christmas Day beachgoer at Takapuna Beach - but our festive season weather has been well short of summer peak. Photo / Michael Craig
Fickle weather would continue tomorrow, with isolated showers in central North Island areas but fine conditions elsewhere. Showers would turn to rain west of the main divide in the South Island where heavy falls are possible.
The rest of the South Island would be mainly fine, although rain was expected at times from eastern Otago south, Best said.
Temperatures would remain close to average - high teens to low 20s - across the country today and tomorrow but cold weather was on the way for the weekend.
"A cold front spreads north on Saturday and showers will be spreading from the south [over the North Island] during the morning. That should clear late in the day."
In the South Island most places would have showers, except the top of the South Island, he said.
The front also means much cooler weather for many. Single-digit lows are expected in several places overnight Saturday - Hamilton and Blenheim will drop to 7C, and Alexandra and Masterton to a chilly 5C.
Bushfires approach homes in New South Wales on December 21. Australia has had a catastrophic start to the bushfire season. Photo / David Gray / Getty
The high was blocking southerlies from coming on to Australia, which were then being re-directed to our shores.
"[The southerlies] want to push into Australia, but they're only hitting Victoria and Tasmania, and then strong westerlies are bringing them across to New Zealand."
