Wind and Rain thrashed parts of the North Island Christmas Eve

[JennyLeez]

The South Island has hit the jackpot on Christmas Day - some inland areas set to soar above 30 degrees Celsius under glorious sunshine - but further north conditions are expected to be grim, MetService says.

The absence of cloud means the central South Island is the place to be, with Wanaka being the pick of the lot at 31C.

However, a low pressure system stretched across New Zealand from Westport to Kaikōura was dividing the country.

"For everywhere north of that line it's a bit grim," MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said.

"It's mainly persistent rain south of Taranaki and Gisborne, which includes the Wellington and Wairarapa. North of that it's a bit cloudy with a clear morning in some spots, but showers and thunderstorms are likely to hit."

MetService lifted the heavy rain watch for Gisborne, however, scattered showers could still turn heavy this afternoon and evening with isolated thunderstorms possible, but no broad-scale warning amounts of rain are expected.

Meanwhile wind and rain thrashed parts of the North Island on Christmas Eve, with fire services attending to 16 weather-related jobs overnight.

Most callouts were for the Auckland area, Fire and Emergency northern communications shift manager Scott Osmond said.

But it was all blue skies and sun in Coromandel on Christmas Day, a welcome reprieve for holiday-makers who were hammered by rain at the weekend.

 Flooding and slips have closed some state highways this morning.

A large slip is blocking SH2 in Matata to SH33 in Paengaroa about a kilometre west of Murphy's Motor Camp.

Contractors are on site and are confident the highway will reopen in a matter of hours.

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