Hawke’s Bay Christmas Day weather: Sunny, hot and one of the best spots

Hawke's Bay is expected to have the best Christmas Day weather-wise in New Zealand for 2025. Photo / Alan Gibson

Hawke’s Bay’s going to have a Christmas ripper.

While most of the country can expect a wet and cold Christmas Day, the forecast has firmed up the prediction of sunshine and warmth for us lucky ones staying here for the festive break.

Temperatures of between 27-31C with sunny conditions expected across the region on December 25.

MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said there was a lot of rain coming up the west coast of the country and showers could make their way through Auckland and Northland, but Hawke’s Bay would be one of the best places to be in New Zealand this Christmas Day.

“The east is going to be a cracker,” he said.

On Christmas Eve, there will be scattered rain for a time in the morning, but that will clear out, and Pawley said it should be fine and hot from about midday across Hawke’s Bay.

Westerly winds will pick up throughout the day in Napier, Hastings and Waipukurau before teetering off later in the evening.

Christmas Eve expected highs will be 29C in Wairoa, 31C in Napier and Hastings, and 26C in Waipukurau.

Despite the hot highs, Wairoa and Waipukurau’s Christmas Eve night lows will be just 10C. Napier and Hastings will also have colder evenings with low temperatures of 13C and 11C.

As Santa makes his way over Hawke’s Bay late on Christmas Eve, he should encounter clear visibility and light northwest winds in Wairoa, light westerlies in Napier and Hastings, and slightly stronger southwesterlies as he and the reindeer make their way to Central Hawke’s Bay, meaning the man in red should have a smooth trip over the region on his present run.

On Christmas Day, Hawke’s Bay will be sheltered from a westerly flow delivering a dry day with “decent amounts of sunshine” and light winds across the region, Pawley said.

Expected highs on Christmas Day are 30C in Wairoa and Hastings, 27C in Napier and 28C in Waipukurau.

Although it is set to be an incredible Christmas Day weather-wise, it won’t reach the heights of Christmas Day 2000 in Hawke’s Bay, when Napier Airport recorded a temperature of 34.4C, a weather station in Whakatu reached 31.6C and Wairoa reached 30.3C.

The last time Christmas Day temperatures went over 30C in Hawke’s Bay was in 2023 when Napier Airport recorded 31.8C, Hastings hit 32.8C and Wairoa reached 29C.

Pawley said people should expect a messier Boxing Day with scattered rain and cloud expected in the afternoon after fine spells in the morning.

Boxing Day expected highs are 29C in Wairoa, 30C in Napier and Hastings, and 28C in Waipukurau.

A cloudy day is forecast for December 27, before rain starts to make its way into the region again from December 28.

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.