The Bay of Plenty and Rotorua can expect rainy conditions this Christmas Day which may persist through to Boxing Day. Photo / George Novak
The Bay of Plenty and Rotorua can expect rainy conditions this Christmas Day which may persist through to Boxing Day. Photo / George Novak
The blue skies and sunshine might not make an appearance at Christmas dinner this year and instead are on a holiday of their own.
MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti said it’s looking like a fine day on Christmas morning with sunny spells starting the day for the Bay of Plenty, however, rain is likely to settle in for the afternoon.
“In the afternoon for Christmas Day, that’s when we’re expecting some rainy conditions to start which are expected to persist through into Boxing Day.
“On Boxing Day we’re actually expecting, in both Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, to have rain for a lot of the day, if not all day.”
Shiviti said the rain is likely to ease off late in the evening on December 27.
MetService is not expecting a lot of rain accumulation and may see less than 10 millimetres but emphasises keeping up to date with the forecast if anything does change.
The Christmas Day and Boxing Day forecast may experience a change in terms of the onset of the rain, however, MetService is confident with its forecast at this stage.
MetService is confident with its forecast at this stage and said no severe weather warnings are expected to be issued. Photo / NZME
“Maybe the system moves over and stays a bit longer in those regions because it is a forecast so is likely to change, but at this stage, we’re fairly confident with what we’re forecasting,” Shiviti said.
No severe weather warnings are expected to be issued as there is no indication of heavy rainfall.
Shiviti said to keep an eye on the MetService warnings page if something were to happen in the coming days.
Despite the predicted showers, temperatures are looking fairly warm and are expected to stay in or above the 20s.
Christmas Day is expected to reach a maximum of 24C in Tauranga. Boxing Day temperatures drop but remain warm with 22C.
The Bay is not alone in experiencing slightly wet Christmas and Boxing days as close by regions are expected to have similar weather.
Shiviti said the system bringing the rain is coming from the west of the country and a lot of areas in the west will have more significant rain in the earlier hours of the day.
“The Coromandel, Taupō and Waikato are also expecting rainy conditions starting from the afternoon, moving into the evening and on Boxing Day as well.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
