• Heavy rain and thunderstorms threaten New Year’s Eve events in Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay.
• Strong winds in Wellington have caused Interislander to cancel several morning crossings.
• Western areas and the far south, including Queenstown, are expected to have clearer conditions.

Popular New Year’s Eve hotspots are under threat from heavy rain and possible thunderstorms.

A MetService-issued heavy rain watch is in place in Gisborne – where the popular Rhythm and Vines music festival is being held – and Hawke’s Bay until late tonight.

Isolated thunderstorms are also possible, MetService warned.

A strong wind watch is also in place in Wellington until 10am, with gales and expected swells in the Cook Strait forcing Interislander to cancel several morning crossings.

Interislander said disrupted passengers had been put on to other sailings and the swells should ease by the afternoon.

The ferry operator said anyone worried about seasickness should sit towards the rear of the ship, not travel on an empty stomach, and consider taking seasickness pills.

MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon said “the best” places to celebrate New Year’s would be in western areas and the far south.

“The rain in the east eases significantly [today] as the low-pressure system begins to pull away, but a few showers will still be lingering into the new year,” Wotherspoon said.

“Although it will be a windy day in Auckland, the winds should be easing and the sky clearing as we head towards midnight,” she said.

“On the South Island, Queenstown will welcome in 2025 under clear skies.”

The fair conditions in southern regions coincide with the Rhythm and Alps music festival at Cardrona Valley, but festival-goers heading to Rhythm and Vines in Gisborne have been told to prepare with waterproof camping gear.

The Northern Bass festival, held near Mangawhai just north of Auckland, is also in the firing line of showers and strong winds this evening.

While Auckland should reach 22C today, it was forecast to drop to 16C overnight before hitting 22C again tomorrow, when MetService expected mainly fine conditions.

Wellington was expected to hit only 15C before dipping to 13C and rising to 16C tomorrow. Wednesday would remain rainy although it would clear in the afternoon and stay cloudy.

Christchurch was tipped to hit 15C, falling to 10C and then rising to 18C tomorrow. There was a chance for a shower tomorrow morning before turning mostly cloudy, MetService said.

Dunedin had a 15C forecast, before dropping to 11C and rising to 16C tomorrow, when showers were expected to clear to partly cloudy conditions.

In the Coromandel, today should be partly cloudy with scattered showers. The showers were expected to clear, leaving gales to remain before turning mainly fine tomorrow.

The Bay of Plenty had showers forecast today and into next week; as did Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Taupō.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.