Updated Wednesday AM — The big high we forecast two weeks ago is still approaching New Zealand for Christmas Day and beyond.  Technically it will be later into Boxing Day when it really centres itself over the country, but Christmas Day will be mostly sunny and/or dry across the country with just a couple isolated shower risks.

The main risk for any wet weather is actually on Christmas Eve – an area of rain or afternoon downpours looks likely to form over northern NZ. This may well bring some relief to those who get it, and need it.  Highest candidates for a downpour/shower are Northland, Auckland and Bay of Plenty. And we can’t rule out a very early drizzle shower then afternoon downpour along the eastern ranges – anywhere from Wairarapa up to Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, but this looks very isolated, rural and unlikely to amount to much.

The incoming high should then cover most of New Zealand for the remainder of the weekend, then next week the more changeable spring-like pattern returns.

This map (above) is the latest rain map from the team at Weathermap.co.nz.  This for 1pm Christmas Eve (Thurs)

The map below is for 1pm Christmas Day (Fri):

NEW YEARS EVE:
Looking a bit spring-like and changeable around NZ then, but hopefully mainly dry for the evening. We’ll have more details about NYE from this weekend.

– Image / File, Chris Johnson

– WeatherWatch.co.nz Forecasts