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• Thunder and heavy rain are expected in Rotorua, Taupō, and the Central North Island.
• MetService warns of tricky conditions and possible flooding for motorists in the Bay of Plenty.
• Christmas Day is forecast to have rain in Taranaki, Northland, Tauranga, and the central North Island.

Thunder and heavy rain are expected to break over Rotorua, Taupō and the Central North Island from Saturday afternoon as Christmas motorists head out across the country.

Heavy falls are also possible today in parts of the South Island, including the Tasman and Clutha.

The sun has peeped out in Auckland, meanwhile, but MetService is tipping isolated rain for the city across most days into the lead-up to Christmas.

Taranaki, Northland, Tauranga and the central North Island are being tipped at this stage to have some rainfall on Christmas Day.

Those motorists out on the roads now are being warned to expect tricky conditions throughout the Bay of Plenty from Tauranga to Rotorua and near the Gisborne district.

MetService has put the area under a heavy rain warning and thunderstorm watch until 9pm that could cause surface or flash flooding and poor visibility for Christmas motorists.

The thunderstorm watch also extends down to Taupō.

In Auckland the temperature has climbed to 25C with some rain possible at 5pm today, while looking ahead, the early call for Christmas is 24C and some rain, according to MetService.

Whangārei is currently up to 26C, while Christmas Day on Wednesday is tipped for showers and 25C.

Under a thunderstorm watch, Tauranga is getting the first falls of what could be a big afternoon downpour and the temperature slides down to 21C, while looking ahead to Christmas 23C and some showers is expected.

The heaviest falls in Rotorua today are tipped for 5-7pm with the temperature expected to drop to 18C. The rain is then expected to come back tomorrow afternoon.

Christmas is expected to be 22C with showers in the holiday town.

In Taupā heavy falls today are tipped from 4pm, while consistent rainfall is forecast in New Plymouth through the rest of the day.

Clare O’Connor yesterday urged motorists to drive “extremely carefully” in these areas.

“With thunderstorms, there also comes a chance of hail, so watch out for that if you’re driving, make sure your windscreen wipers are up to scratch,” O’Connor said.

Wellington can also expect afternoon rain and a top of 23C today, while Christmas in the capital is tipped for a fine but cloudy day of 21C.

In the South Island, there is a chance of a shower today in Christchurch with a top of 23C, while looking ahead to Wednesday, Christmas should be mostly fine and 24C.

Elsewhere, there is currently a heavy rain watch in Tasman, west of Motueka, until 11pm tonight, a severe thunderstorm watch in Canterbury’s high country and Central Otago until 9pm and a heavy rain watch in Clutha in the far south.

Christmas forecast

MetService’s O’Connor yesterday said the weather should be generally good across most of the country in the lead-up to Christmas.

She said the best weather ahead of Christmas Day looked to be the two days preceding the holiday, with sunny blue skies and dry days set for most parts of the country on Monday and Tuesday.

“Santa has been advised to pack his wet weather suit for the big journey south, with the outlook indicating a wet Christmas Day for the west of the South Island and potentially the western North Island.”