Today is the first day of what is expected to be a hot and muggy summer, according to the latest forecasts.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) says while the next three months will be a largely warm summer, rain will also be on the cards.
The change in weather is thanks to the La Nina weather pattern, similar to what was seen three years ago.
“That summer came with New Zealand's hottest month overall on record,” NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll said.
“So certainly a summer where you're going to want to have a fan handy or air conditioning if you're lucky enough to have one.”
Noll said the heat will bring humidity along with it, including overnight, particularly in the North Island.
He said while the lower South Island can expect to remain rather dry this summer, the North Island and upper South Island will bear the brunt of the wetter conditions.
“What happened in Napier a few weeks ago with the flooding - those type of weather events are a little bit more common during La Nina years.”
While it’s too early for an accurate Christmas Day weather forecast, Noll said the La Nina weather pattern could see the Christmas period "be a little bit cloudy and maybe rainy in the north and drier in the south".
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