In our first weather video of 2026 we update our forecast out to the middle of January. Heat will increase this week thanks to a pulse of hot nor’westers out of Australia, making for a hot Friday, Saturday and Sunday with some places (like inland Hawke’s Bay) potentially reaching the mid 30s this weekend. However coastal parts of Southland and Otago may well be cooler over the coming week.

Rain returns to the West Coast this weekend and by Sunday a surge of damaging nor’west gales is possible around the South Island and lower North Island – not locked in yet but certainly showing up for a few days in long range maps.

We tracks the lows, the highs, the thunderstorms and temperature fluctuations.

Programming Notes:
– Phil is offscreen this week, returns next week.
– Our next video is on Wednesday
– We have no weather videos this Thursday.