Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
The start of summer is forecast to be very warm for many areas of the country, with some places topping 30 degrees this coming week.
NIWA Meteorologist Chris Brandolino said eastern parts of both islands were set to be the hottest.
"Even as early as Monday tomorrow we'll find temperatures reaching well into the 20s, but it's really Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday where we'll find probably three consecutive days at least where the highest temperatures reach 30 or higher; Hawke's Bay, Canterbury, Marlborough, even parts of interior Otago.
"Even outside those areas, places like the Waikato, the Auckland region and Northland will find temperatures getting well and truly into the 20s a couple of times this week, so heat will be a theme the first week of summer," he said.
Brandolino said there was an increased chance of more wet weather after that.
"As we're looking perhaps to the second week of December it looks like western areas of both islands will be favoured for rain, potentially heavy rain," he said.
"The warmth may be a bit more sustained for the North Island as we're looking to that second week of December while that rain, which could be heavy, impacts parts of the country."
Brandolino said the forecast was a bit murky from mid-December into the New Year, but he expected more settled weather to emerge.
Moving through January and February, the weather patterns were likely to become more La Niña-like, which would bring increased chances of more rain events, he said.
He said overall this summer looked to be warmer than average.
"There will be weeks or days when it goes against that grain but they'll probably be in a minority."
Brandolino said the hot temperatures expected next week brought an increased fire danger.
"Unfortunately that's going to coincide with low humidity for eastern parts of both islands and gusty type wind, and when you combine especially eastern North Island dry conditions, low humidity, gusty wind, high temperatures that's a fire risk.
"Just be really mindful people going camping, enjoying the outdoors... you want to check it's all right before you light with Fire and Emergency."
