The start of December marks the beginning of summer.
What can we expect for the month ahead and where should holidaymakers be heading for their summer vacation?
Metservice meteorologist Georgina Griffiths joined Paul Henry to talk about the summer forecast.
The December outlook clearly indicates drier conditions than usual for the north and east of both Islands, which is remarkably consistent with the summer outlook.
Last week we saw some hot temperatures in the east, and it was fairly warm and muggy elsewhere. It finally felt like summer – after 5 months of running quite cold.
Many places will be mild and quite humid again this week, and by later in the week, temperatures will again soar in eastern regions of both Islands with Christchurch and Central Otago reaching 29-30C on Wednesday.
The eastern North Island will also be very warm on Thursday.
Looking at summer as a whole, it looks like temperatures will be fairly close to summer average in the north and east of both Islands, but cooler than usual in the southwest of the South Island.
Just remember though, that every summer we enjoy a mix of warm BBQ weather, and some cold changes, too.
Basically, you’re still going to have to listen to a weather forecast for the coming few days to plan those holiday activities.
Watch the video for the full interview.
