Christmas Day weather: Where's rain and where's warm?

It's one more sleep until Christmas, and whether celebrations will be out in the sun or shifted indoors depends on where you are in the country.

Forecasters are predicting a mixed bag of weather on Christmas Day, with warm temperatures for some, and rain for others.

MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan told RNZ that for many places, Christmas will be "good barbecue weather".

He said Wellington through to Waikato and Hawke's Bay will continue to see warm weather.

It has been a scorcher for Hawke's Bay, with Hastings recording the country's highest temperature on Tuesday, reaching a maximum of 33.4C at about 2.30pm.

While the warm temperatures are set to continue into Christmas, they aren't expected to be as high as Tuesday and Wednesday.

"We are looking at temperatures in the high 20s, not the 30s," Corrigan said.

He said a heat alert has been issued for people in Napier and Hastings.

"For people that are more vulnerable, it's a heads up to keep hydrated and stay in the shade."

While Wellington will be warm on Christmas, Wellingtonians can expect the usual windy weather the city is known for.

In the South Island, Christchurch is forecast to receive the warmest weather of the south on Christmas with a high of 26C. Nelson and Marlborough are also expected to receive nice, warm weather.

Further south, cold air sitting about the lower South Island is expected to bring cooler temperatures, with Queenstown forecast to receive a high of 16C - 10C lower than Christchurch.

Some places around the country may have to shift their Christmas celebrations indoors due to rainy weather.

Corrigan said there is a band of rain in the far north of the country that could bring persistent rain to places like Kaitaia and Bay of Islands.

He said previous modelling was bringing that rain band further south to Auckland, but many Aucklanders will be pleased to know that is looking less likely.

If there is rain in Auckland on Christmas, it is most likely to be brief showers in the second half of the day, he added.

The wettest weather is expected to be on the West Coast, along the main spine of the Southern Alps. Further south, Otago and Southland may experience spots of rain.

rnz.co.nz