Merry Christmas! Many people will be watching the skies closely today but we do have some heavy downpours with even some severe weather potential.

The highest risk for a significant downpour is through well inland parts of the upper half of rhe North Island. While these downpours could drift right across Waikato and others parts of BOP the sea breezes today will guide them and these can change as the day heats up. Thunderstorms are possible this afternoon.

As of 8:15asm the showers are tracking around Rotorua to Murupara and are moving southwards in a light northerly breeze. Some patchy wet weather is even spilling over into northern Hawke’s Bay this morning.

Patchy light rain and showers are also moving into Canterbury, tracking in from sea with a light easterly flow. These showers might affect Dunedin later today further south. By afternoon downpours will be most likely around the main ranges – clearing this evening.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz