It's looking like a warm but slightly wet Christmas Day for Bay of Plenty

Tauranga baked in a high of 27C on Tuesday. Photo / George Novak

Father Christmas may need a raincoat if the MetService long-range weather forecast proves accurate.

The outlook for Christmas Day on Tuesday is light showers across the Bay of Plenty according to the MetService website 10-day forecast although meteorologist Andy Best said an accurate prediction couldn't be made until Sunday.

The website shows showers and light winds for both Rotorua and Tauranga on Christmas Day. Rotorua is looking at 21C with an overnight low of 11C while Tauranga is fractionally warmer on 22C and 14C overnight.

Yesterday looked to be the warmest day for both places according to the long-range forecast and possibly the last day of cloudless skies for the next 10 days.

"Both Rotorua and Tauranga enjoyed the heat [yesterday] with Rotorua reaching a high of 26C with Tauranga a single digit higher on 27C," Best said.

"[Today] will be slightly cooler for both cities with high cloud forecast. On Thursday things will cool a little more as a low makes its presence felt with an expected high of 20C. Rain will develop in the morning with heavy showers a possibility, but will clear in the afternoon."

On Friday things are a little better with isolated showers predicted for both cities combined with westerly winds.

"Saturday should see periods of rain, possibly heavy and thundery, and the westerly wind will do a complete turnaround and become northerly," Best said.

"Temperatures of 21C for Rotorua and 24C for Tauranga can be expected.

"Sunday will see showers and little wind."

The online forecast predicts rain with light winds on Monday, showers with light winds on Tuesday and rain with northerlies on Wednesday.

"The forecast up until Sunday has been compiled by a meteorologist, after that is an automatic forecast which is not always accurate," Best said.

Tauranga forecast

Today: High 27C overnight 16C. Fine apart from some morning cloud. Light winds and sea breezes.
Tomorrow: High 25C overnight 17C. Morning and evening cloud, otherwise fine. Westerlies.
Friday: High 24C overnight 16C. A few showers. Westerlies.
Saturday: High 24C overnight 15C. Periods of rain developing. Northwesterlies.
Sunday: High 23C overnight 15C. Showers with little wind.
Monday: High 22C overnight 14C. Rain with light winds.
Tuesday: High 22C overnight 14C. Showers light winds.