May all your Christmases be sunny...

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2015

May all your Christmases be sunny...

A mostly happy, high-pressure (meteorologically speaking) holiday in store!
It’s no wonder that the Christmas forecast has been highly anticipated. From hail to record breaking heat, summer so far has been off to a bit of a changeable start. The good news is that as we inch closer toward Christmas so does high pressure, and as we say here at NIWA, high pressure often equals “happy weather”.

By Christmas Eve the happy high is set to lie just west of New Zealand. With the North Island sitting on the cusp of the high, a dissipating cold front is expected to bring somewhat humid and cloudy weather. In fact, showers are likely for western parts of the North Island and some heavier falls are possible about Auckland.

While residual showers and cloud may stick around on Christmas morning for parts of the central North Island through to Auckland, the good news is that the weather will only improve throughout Christmas Day with Mother Nature saving the best stuff for the weekend.

The South Island on the other hand will get in early on the good weather, with more sun than cloud and warm temperatures forecast for large parts of the island throughout Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The core of our happy weather high is expected to pass through over the weekend, bringing plenty of opportunity to enjoy the outdoors this Christmas holiday.

Auckland
Christmas Eve: Humid with showers likely. Threat for heavy showers. Max near 21°C.
Christmas Day: Morning cloud with areas of drizzle or light showers. Afternoon sun developing. Max near 22°C.
Boxing Day: Mostly sunny. Warmer…max near 24°C.

Hamilton
Christmas Eve: Mostly cloudy with a few showers. Max near 21°C.
Christmas Day: Morning cloud with an odd shower or drizzle possible. Otherwise, afternoon sun developing. Max 23°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Warm…max near 25°C.

Tauranga
Christmas Eve: Cloud and limited sun with a threat for scattered showers. Max near 21°C.
Christmas Day: Slight chance for an odd shower early. Otherwise, increasing sun. Max near 22°C.
Boxing Day: Mostly sunny. Warmer…max near 25°C.

Wellington
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. Max near 19°C.
Christmas Day: Sun and cloud. Max near 20°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Cooler…max near 18°C.

Christchurch
Christmas Eve: Sun and cloud. Max near 20°C.
Christmas Day: Blend of sun and cloud. Max near 20°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Max near 20°C.

Dunedin
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. A slight chance for a shower. Max near 18°C.
Christmas Day: Some morning cloud giving way to afternoon sun. Max near 19°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Max near 17°C.

Bay of Islands
Christmas Eve: Threat for few showers. Max near 21°C.
Christmas Day: Some early cloud gives way to a partly to mostly sunny sky. Max near 22°C.
Boxing Day: Mostly sunny. Max near 23°C.

Coromandel
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. A slight chance for a shower. Max near 19°C.
Christmas Day: Some morning cloud giving way to afternoon sun. Max near 21°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Max near 23°C.

Taupo
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. Risk for a shower or two. Max near 19°C.
Christmas Day: More sun than cloud. Max near 23°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Max near 25°C.

Hawke’s Bay
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. Max near 21°C.
Christmas Day: Sun and cloud with an odd shower possible well inland. Max near 22°C.
Boxing Day: Partly to mostly sunny. Max near 24°C inland, but much cooler near the immediate coast.

Nelson
Christmas Eve: Sun and cloud. A slight chance for a shower. Max near 20°C.
Christmas Day: More sun than cloud. Max near 22°C.
Boxing Day: Mostly sunny. Max near 23°C.

Queenstown/Wanaka
Christmas Eve: More cloud than sun. Max near 19°C.
Christmas Day: Sun and cloud. Max near 21°C.
Boxing Day: Mostly sunny and warm. Max near 28°C.

ends

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