Christmas Weather: Gusty, but there’s no need to end a nice day for most.

A nice day, but unspectacular weather-wise, it’s set for the majority at Christmas, and Auckland is leaning for a slightly gusty day with a high of 21 ° C.

While much of the north is on a stable weather day, cooler temperatures and potential thunderstorms could rain on the Christmas parade for some southern islanders.

MetService meteorologist Andy Best said the Christmas Day weather in Auckland “wouldn’t be so bad” with high clouds rising in the afternoon.

“The winds are a bit stormy, so people should wear a cape if they are outside to warm up. Although it is a maximum of 21 ° C, the winds will be quite gusty for much of the day from the southwest.

“We are talking about a wind speed of 25 km / h. There is not much wind, but there could be gusts.”

The weather is expected to remain constant throughout the day.

Isolated showers are forecast in the west of the North Island, from Wellington to Waitomo, but it will clear and improve in the morning.

Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Tararua are also at risk of afternoon and evening showers.

Temperatures across the North Island will be at their averages today for this time of year.

The hot spots will be Whakatane and Tauranga, who will face each other around 25C / 26C, as well as Gisborne with 25C, Hastings, Kerikeri and Whangārei ready for highs of 24C.

South ‘unusually cool’

In terms of temperatures today, it doesn’t seem very hot in parts of the South Island, with many places falling below their averages for this time of year.

Ashburton only hits 15C (normally 21C in late December), Oamaru dots 14C (normally 19C),

Queenstown should be around 21 ° C, but will only hit 17 ° C maximum on Christmas Day.

“It’s quite cold from Ashburton to Queenstown and Central Otago, and the next day, Boxing Day, it’s even colder.”

The likes of Christchurch will peak at 14 ° C on Boxing Day, when Garden City should have temperatures of 22 ° C this time of year.

Isolated showers are forecast to develop around Clutha, Southland and Dunedin during the morning.

Scattered rain is in the cards for much of North Otago and Canterbury, but clears up in the morning and turns thin, Best said.

However, afternoon and evening thunderstorms are possible in southern Canterbury, eastern and central Otago, Dunedin and Clutha.

After a wet Christmas Eve in Christchurch, the rains are ready to clear in the morning but return in the afternoon.

In Dunedin, the rains forecast from noon on could turn stormy with hail.

“There is a moderate risk of them happening,” Best said.

It could also get wet later in the day in the Buller and Nelson Lakes areas with the possibility of showers at night.

Forecasts for Christmas Day

Kaitaia Good with high clouds. Southwesterlies. 22 ° C high, 14 ° C low.

Whangarei Good with high clouds. Southwesterlies. 24C, 14C.

Auckland Good spells with high clouds. Winds from the southwest decrease. 21C, 16C.

Hamilton Good spells with high rising clouds and southwest winds 22C, 9C.

Tauranga Good, with high rising clouds. Southwesterlies. 25C, 13C.

New Plymouth Good spells with some high clouds and southwesterly winds. 20C, 12C.

Rotorua Good spells with high rising clouds and southwest winds. 23C, 11C.

Napier Well, heading south with high clouds rising. 25C, 15C.

Wellington Cloudy periods. Light winds, north winds developing at sunset. 20C, 11C.

Nelson Well, getting cloudy overnight with showers. Southwest winds turn north in the afternoon. 22C, 12C.

ChristchurchThe showers clear up in the morning and return in the afternoon. Southeastern winds turning northeast in the afternoon. 16C, 9C.

Dunedin Cloudy periods. Showers starting at noon, some possibly hail thunder. Westerlies turning northeast in the afternoon. 16C, 8C.