Many parts of NZ are going to be several degrees warmer than usual today and Christmas Day – but near freezing temperatures are on the cards for some.

Cooler air in the east of the South Island today will spread into the eastern North Island for Christmas Day. Dunedin has a max temp today of only +16 today then +17 tomorrow, Christchurch is in the late teens next two days while Napier and Hastings will go from the mid to late 20s today, to the low 20s on Christmas Day as the cooler, cloudier, change arrives.

But the rest of NZ has heat – and inland parts of the North Island (like Waikato and Bay of Plenty) will be closer to 30 degrees today and tomorrow, while Central Otago will be mid to late 20s on Christmas Day after a cold start.

Tonight will be COLD in some parts of the lower South Island – perfect for Santa – with, quite seriously, temperatures getting closer to freezing in Southland and maybe parts of Otago. Gore has a low tonight of only +4C, Lumsden & Balfour +3C and +8 around Dunedin and Queenstown.

Christmas night will be milder in the lower South Island.

Follow the temperature trends – Humidex (feels like) temps for all parts of NZ – hourly for 10 days out – can be found at www.RuralWeather.co.nz.

Merry Christmas from all of the team at WeatherWatch.co.nz and RuralWeather.co.nz!