Weather to clear for fireworks

Photo / Dean Purcell

After a wet weekend, skies are set to clear in time for New Year's Eve celebrations.

Forecasts for the upper North Island suggest showers should be out of the way by 6pm on Tuesday, allowing revellers to count down to midnight under the stars.

WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan said holidaymakers were in for mostly fine weather to see in 2014, with the forecast 90 per cent dry with just a few isolated showers, "and they aren't likely to hang around".

Forecasters are expecting cloudy periods, a chance of an isolated shower, and light winds for Auckland.

Fiordland was at the highest risk of rain on New Year's Eve, along with Southland and inland Otago, but the drizzle shouldn't be enough to put off any hardy Kiwi camper.

Taranaki, Lake Taupo and Kapiti were likely to stay fine, with just a 20 per cent chance of rain, and 10 per cent chance in Northland, Auckland and King Country.

Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and the West Coast should also expect cloudy spells, with stronger winds set to creep in later. The Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty are also expected to be fine, and Hawkes Bay and Wairarapa will have a windy start to the New Year but Wellington will be the windiest spot.

Northern New Zealand will have the warmest start to 2014, with Coromandel and Gisborne expecting the highest temperatures.

Welcoming 2014

• Auckland: SkyCity fireworks, Britomart Beach Party
• Waiheke Island: Decks on the Beach, Onetangi
• Coromandel: Coromandel Gold, Ohuka Farm
• Mt Maunganui: Mount Vibes
• Gisborne: Rhythm & Vines
• Napier: Free event, Napier Soundshell
• Wairarapa: La De Da festival, Martinborough
• Wellington: New Year's Day picnic, Waitangi Park