KEY POINTS:
The MetService is predicting clear skies for much of the country in the coming week as summer finally gets into its stride.
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said an anti-cyclone moving on to the country from the Tasman Sea this week and into the middle of next week would bring plenty of sun.
"Extended dry periods with concentrations of sunshine over much of the centre of the country is expected."
A trough over the Bay of Plenty is expected to linger until later today "but apart from that, the forecast is for haymaking weather".
Meanwhile, sunshine figures for the six centres which measure sun hours show Rotorua had the most sun last month and Auckland is leading the pack for this month.
The National Climate Centre's December report found sunshine hours were at least 10 per cent above normal in parts of Northland, Auckland, Buller, Westland and Nelson. Of the five main centres, Auckland was the warmest and driest, Christchurch the wettest and Wellington the sunniest. But temperatures were well below normal in all five centres.
Auckland had the most sun since school holidays began, followed by Gisborne. The sun also favoured Gisborne the most last year. It received about 6 1/2 hours a day.
Top spots
Sunshine hours in the school holidays (Dec 20 - Jan 13):
* Auckland - 169
* Gisborne - 168
* Rotorua - 162
* New Plymouth - 152
* Wellington - 139
* Christchurch - 129
Source: MetService
