Weather: Fire up barbie for Christmas

Forecasters predict warm weather for most regions with some tipped to hit the high 20s.

It could be time to ditch the roast turkey and dust off the barbecue instead, as a brighter, sunnier festive forecast looks set to make sunscreen a must-have stocking filler this Christmas Day.

Niwa and MetService released Christmas forecasts yesterday, promising a settled and warm holiday for most of the country.

Christmas Day is forecast to be "dry with sunny spells", MetService said, while Niwa said the high pressure over the country would continue to bring "settled and sunny conditions" for Santa's arrival.

The only disparity in the two organisations' forecasts was in relation to the temperatures we can expect to bask in, with MetService showing the mercury rising a little higher than Niwa - particularly in Christchurch, which could hit 29C on Boxing Day.

"Niwa's Christmas week forecast sees a ridge to the east of New Zealand directing a warm northerly flow over the country during Christmas and into Boxing Day, bringing pleasant weather conditions," the agency said.

MetService meteorologist John Law said: "For much of New Zealand it looks settled and warm for Christmas Day. There will still be some areas of cloud, especially across the Far North, eastern coastlines and lower North Island. However, these should break to leave some sunny intervals."

Despite the sunny and warm forecasts, both were agreed on the chance of showers for central areas and the West Coast.

Mr Law said: "Although the outlook is dry, isolated afternoon showers are forecast to spring up over central parts of both islands and cloudier, wetter weather is forecast to push on to the West Coast. If you are planning on taking a post-lunch tramp into the ranges on Christmas Day, keep an eye on the rain radar - there might just be a few showers bubbling up here and there."

Niwa tipped Canterbury would be the hottest region this Christmas, with temperatures hitting the high 20s, and said Coromandel and Hawkes Bay would see a continuation of the hot days and warm nights the regions have already been experiencing.

MetService agreed, forecasting Christchurch to hit 26C on Christmas Day and 29C on Boxing Day.

The sunny, warm forecasts follow a cautious Christmas outlook issued by MetService last week, which predicted slightly above average temperatures and showers in the north and west, and the West Coast.