⛈️The top half of the North Island is in for a bit of a wild Boxing Day⛈️Regions Waikato northwards may see thunderstorms, with localised downpours and💨 gusts up to 90 km/h from tomorrow afternoon. Keep an eye on the forecasts at https://t.co/Yjbq0jgaoz@AklCouncil pic.twitter.com/neuy4xBftm — MetService NZ (@MetService) December 24, 2025The South Island won’t escape the wet weather, with bands of rain falling from Nelson down the Southern Alps, through the West Coast down Fiordland, and thunderstorms possible in the lower regions. Southland, Clutha and Dunedin should expect some showers across the day, while the eastern ranges of the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch will have mostly fine weather. While the West Coast of the South Island might be having an unexpectedly fine start to 2026, the rest of the country faces erratic forecasts. “It’s still quite uncertain, to be honest, as we head to New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” Burrows said.

Source: New Zealand Herald December 25, 2025 17:32 UTC