Christmas rain, but weather getting better

Santa failed to deliver fine summer weather to the North Island for Christmas yesterday, but at least the worst has come and gone.

It was a rainy, overcast Christmas for most, but today is looking brighter with long fine spells expected over much of the island as the rain starts to disband.

Holidaymakers on the west coast of the North Island will be pleased to hear the best pockets of weather will be dotted along their coast. However, those in eastern areas could expect isolated showers, some heavy, MetService said.

Moving into tomorrow and the rest of the week, most areas of New Zealand can expect more traditional summer weather. Whangārei is looking mostly fine for the rest of the week, as is Hamilton, while Auckland has a few days of cloud and sun before rain clouds return on Saturday. Coastal hotspots around the Bay of Plenty, including Thames, Tauranga and Whakatāne, can expect showers through the week.

A wild low-pressure system packed a punch before Christmas, dumping more than 100mm of rain in the Western Bay of Plenty on Sunday night. Surrounding areas recorded up to 130mm of rain north of Waihi Beach and 70mm in the south throughout the weekend.

Campers at the Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday resort were evacuated on Sunday morning after a nearby river breached its banks in several places.

The campground was inundated and tents, campervans, and buildings were swamped, affecting about 150 people.

But yesterday offered a reprieve. Receptionist Megan Smith said some of the campers who were evacuated had returned to their camping spots after waking up to sunshine on Christmas Day.

MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said yesterday there were many lightning strikes developing across the North Island.

"The front that brought the rain [on Christmas Eve], that has moved south ... If you saw a satellite maybe you would see a wonderful koru-looking-like cloud, it's spiralling out."

Auckland was treated to bucket-loads of rain yesterday, leaving parts of Kaipara, Muriwai, Warkworth and Upper Waiwera without power in the morning.

Boxing Day weather

Whangārei: Fine apart from morning cloud. High 24C, Low 15C.

Auckland: Morning cloud, then fine. Fresh southwesterlies. H 23C, L 16C

Hamilton: Fine apart from morning cloud. H 26C, L 12C

Tauranga: Mainly fine, with an afternoon shower or two. H28C, L 15C

Wellington: Cloud and a few showers, then long fine spells. H 19C, L 12C