It’s humid and damp this Christmas Eve over the North Island after a deluge last night.   Rainfall numbers exceeded predictions by the Weather Watch Centre after rain bands tracked slightly more westwards than earlier expected.

The humid air pulled down by the sub-tropical low means it’s been a muggy morning in the north but a cool sou’wester has kicked in across Auckland.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says earlier today it was very humid.  “Humidity levels were around 90% in Auckland and closer to 100% across Waikato.  However a change to stronger, drier, south westerlies saw muggy conditions ease over Auckland”.

The rain band is still heading south and currently covers most places between southern Taranaki and Kaikoura.

But a large high building in the Tasman Sea will shunt the low and rain bands out into the Pacific Ocean by tonight. 

“As that low departs tomorrow there may be some lingering morning cloud, and potential a brief and light morning shower in the west.  Also a weak front may deliver one or two brief showers to the South Island’s south and east coasts…other than that New Zealand’s weather forecast is still on track to be a good one for Christmas Day as we mentioned 9 days ago!”.

Mr Duncan says the afternoon should have better weather for most regions..