The signs of summer are among us with pohutakawa trees flowering already. Forecasters say the official first day of the season on Thursday will be calm and dry.
According to MetService, not much rain is on the cards as we head into summer.
Thursday will see isolated showers from Waikato northwards and also in the east, and otherwise mainly fine, according to MetService.
The South Island will be mainly fine.
And the first signs of summer are already evident on the Thames coast where pohutukawa are starting to bloom.
And Weather Watch analyst Philip Duncan says the season will be off to a settled start on December 1, after a windy, stormy November.
"The start of December looks settled with a large high covering both islands and bringing light winds basically everywhere," Duncan said.
"While December clearly shares a similar pattern to November there are signs summer weather is inching closer.
"High pressure absolutely dominates New Zealand for the first time in months and this will bring at least five or six calm days to both islands."
He said the next round of wind will probably hit the country about December 7 or 8.
"As we head into summer the highs that have frequently been north of New Zealand this winter and spring should start to slide south over us more often, bringing breaks in the windy weather and longer more summer-like sunny spells in between," Duncan said.
Temperatures are likely to be average to slightly above average in many places for the start of December.
Northland
• Today: Cloudy periods, with long afternoon fine breaks. Light westerlies. A high of 17C dropping to 14C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods. Northwesterlies. A high of 18C dropping to 13C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods, isolated showers. Westerlies dying out. A high of 19C dropping to 14C overnight.
Auckland
• Today: Cloudy periods, with long afternoon fine breaks. Westerlies. A high of 19C dropping to 13C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods. Northwesterlies. A high of 20C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods, isolated showers. Westerlies dying out. A high of 21C dropping to 12C overnight.
Waikato
• Today: Cloudy periods. Westerlies. A high of 21C dropping to 12C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods, a few showers. Northwesterlies. A high of 21C dropping to 12C overnight.
• Thursday: A few morning showers, then mainly fine. Westerlies dying out. A high of 22C dropping to 11C overnight.
Bay of Plenty
• Today: Areas of morning cloud, then mostly sunny. Westerlies. A high of 20C dropping to 13C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods. Northwesterlies. A high of 20C dropping to 13C overnight.
• Thursday: A few morning showers, then mainly fine. Westerlies dying out. A high of 21C dropping to 12C overnight.
Taupo
• Today: Cloudy periods, with a few light showers from afternoon. Westerlies. A high of 17C dropping to 12C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Occasional rain. Northwesterlies. A high of 19C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Thursday: Mainly fine. Light winds. A high of 20C dropping to 9C overnight.
Hawke's Bay
• Today: Fine at first but a few cloudy periods developing in the afternoon. Northwesterlies freshening in the evening. A high of 26C dropping to 12C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Fine at first, cloudy periods and a few showers from afternoon. Northwesterlies changing southwesterly overnight. A high of 26C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods and isolated showers with southwesterlies, then becoming fine with light winds. A high of 20C dropping to 12C overnight.
Wellington
T• oday: Fine, apart from evening cloud. Northwesterlies strengthening in the evening. A high of 16C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Brief morning rain with northwesterlies, then long fine breaks and light southerlies. A few showers developing in the evening with southerlies picking up. A high of 15C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Thursday: Mainly fine. Southerlies dying out. A high of 16C dropping to 10C overnight.
Marlborough
• Today: Increasing high cloud. Northwesterlies, strong in exposed places, but winds mostly light about the Kaikoura Coast. A high of 24C dropping to 11C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods and a few showers developing about the Kaikoura Coast in the morning and winds turning southerly. Fine elsewhere, with light winds. A high of 18C dropping to 9C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods. Light winds. A high of 19C dropping to 7C overnight.
Christchurch
• Today: Increasing high cloud. Isolated showers developing in the evening as strong northwesterlies turn light southerly. A high of 25C dropping to 9C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods, a few showers. Southerlies dying out. A high of 13C dropping to 9C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods. Light winds. A high of 17C dropping to 10C overnight.
Dunedin
• Today: Cloudy periods and a few showers, mostly in the evening. Strong southwesterlies developing in the morning, easing in the evening. A high of 18C dropping to 5C overnight.
• Tomorrow: Cloudy periods and a few showers, clearing in the evening. Southwesterlies. A high of 14C dropping to 4C overnight.
• Thursday: Cloudy periods. Southwesterlies dying out. A high of 15C dropping to 4C overnight.
Source: MetService
It follows a slew of complaints about Oranga Tamariki.