South to swelter as North suffers

Persistent drizzly rain is forecast to dampen the festive spirit in the North Island but in the South the sun should return tomorrow and keep shining until Christmas Day.

In perhaps a sign of things to come Christmas shoppers in Mosgiel sweltered in the heat yesterday with a sign on Gordon Rd putting the temperature at 30degC just after 2.30pm.

The highest temperature recorded in Dunedin City yesterday was 20degC, with a high of 26degC recorded at Dunedin airport.

MetService forecaster Brooke Lockhart said apart from a period of rain about noon today, it was expected to be ‘‘smooth sailing'' all the way to Christmas, with no further rain forecast until December 27.

Elsewhere the forecast is not so positive, with rain settling in over most of the North Island at the weekend as Cyclone Evan brushes the country.