Christmas weather: Forecasters reveal mixed bag with some rain on the big day

Parts of the country are tipped for rain through Christmas Day as the big man comes to town. Photo/NZME

• Holidaymakers are set to enjoy mostly sun today before Santa delivers a mixed bag of weather on Christmas Day.
• MetService forecasts a warm start to the holiday before rain strikes along western areas of the country, spreading throughout as the day progresses.
• The eastern North Island - especially Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay - is best placed for a dry Christmas Day with high temperatures also tipped.

Holidaymakers around New Zealand will be lapping up the sun today before Santa delivers a mixed sack of gloomy, wet weather for much of the country on Christmas Day.

MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti says Christmas Eve looks to have the pick of the weather this week as showers over New Zealand ease and sunny spells prevail.

Auckland is tipped for areas of cloud and isolated showers this morning, but a fine day into the afternoon with a high of 24C expected.

Shiviti says late in the day, rain is forecast to arrive in Fiordland with an approaching front from the Tasman Sea.

As for the big day itself, MetService says a warm and sunny start is expected for most of the country, before rain sets in along western areas and spreads.

“Rain spreads north along the western half of the South Island during Christmas morning and extends eastwards in the afternoon,” Shiviti said.

It’s a wet start to Christmas week as showers persist for most areas of Aotearoa/New Zealand today. A quieter, drier day of weather arrives tomorrow.

For Christmas Day the best of the weather is likely to be first thing ahead of cloudier skies and wetter weather moving in from… pic.twitter.com/zf8gCG4mcZ

— MetService (@MetService) December 23, 2024

“In the North Island, a dry Christmas morning is expected ahead of rain reaching the western half of the island during the afternoon, with Northland most likely to receive the first drops of rain. The rest of the North Island can expect rain later in the day.”

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, with eastern parts of the North Island – particularly Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay – best placed to stay dry for much of Christmas Day, and also set to see some of the highest temperatures.

“However, a few showers are expected to squeeze through the Manawatū Gorge during the afternoon, affecting parts of the Wairarapa,” Shiviti says.

“It is also looking like a good Christmas Day weatherwise for New Zealanders in the far south of the North Island – namely Wellington and Kāpiti – as rain is only expected to move on to these areas in the evening, if at all.”

🎄 Here's a look at the upcoming Christmas period for NZ:

Christmas Eve: Mostly dry, but rain reaching the lower West Coast late

Christmas Day: A dry morning for the NI, but the chance for showers increases PM. Rain in the SI.

Boxing Day: Unsettled with rain and thunderstorms. pic.twitter.com/iWeMM4xcWP

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) December 22, 2024

MetService predicts temperatures will be in the low to mid-20s for much of Christmas Day, with an average of 23C in most places.

“We are expecting a temperature of 26C in Gisborne, 27C in Masterton and 26C in Alexandra,” said forecaster Surprise Mhlongo.

“In Auckland and Northland, we are expecting a maximum temperature of 24C with a low of 14C.”

MetService said rain is expected to persist over parts of the country on Boxing Day as a low-pressure system moves over northern areas.

Forecaster Niwa says an unsettled day is expected on Boxing Day, with rain and thunderstorms likely for many regions. Weather is tipped to settle ahead of New Year’s Eve.

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