• Forecasters are expecting a damp lead-up to New Year celebrations before a clear start to 2025.
• A new weather system will bring rain to the South Island on Saturday and intensify on Monday.
• Record rainfall in Tairāwhiti caused dangerous conditions on State Highway 2, prompting police warnings.

Forecasters are warning of soggy weather in the lead-up to New Year celebrations as a fresh system begins to creep up the country today.

It comes after wild weather struck in eastern areas yesterday, closing major highways and jolting ferry passengers in Wellington.

The strong wind watch is set to expire in coastal areas of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne early this morning in time for Rhythm and Vines festival attendees to begin flooding the Poverty Bay city, while the heavy rain warning for the Wairoa District lifts at noon.

However, MetService meteorologist Ngairie Wotherspoon said a fresh batch of bad weather is due to move over the South Island on Saturday which might put a dampener on holidaymakers’ plans.

“Rain spreads to many parts of the South Island on Sunday the 29th as the trough moves northwards.”

As the weather system moves up the country, Wotherspoon said, it will intensify into a low-pressure system bringing rain to central and northern areas on Monday.

“This low moves away to the east on New Year’s Eve, bringing rain in a strong south-to-southeast flow to eastern areas of the North Island and upper South Island.”

There is a chance that warnings or watches for heavy rain will need to be issued for Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, eastern Marlborough, and north Canterbury.

However, the country is set to see a good start to 2025 as the low on North Island’s eastern side slowly moves away.

MetService is predicting summery conditions for much of the country with some stronger winds in the central and northern areas of the North Island.

It comes after record monthly rainfall in Tairāwhiti was followed by dangerous high winds, leaving sections of State Highway 2 impassable.

A MetService spokesman told the Gisborne Herald on Friday that the Thursday rainfall pushed the city’s December rainfall total to 206.9mm. The previous record was 204mm set in 1954.

Police urged motorists to avoid SH2 near the Wharerata Rd lookout if possible yesterday due to high winds knocking trees down and leaving parts of the road impassable at times.

“The highway is extremely treacherous,” the local police spokesman said.

Further south, strong winds from a lingering low-pressure system affected an Interislander ferry, which was struck by large waves. Several cars were damaged and one person was injured.