Fireworks are a major part of ringing in the New Year, but it's difficult to appreciate the pyrotechnics if the weather's less than ideal.
Thankfully Metservice has released its forecast for December 31 with a helpful guide to where the sky will be clearest on the final evening of 2018.
"New Year's Eve brings a mixed bag of weather, with a slow moving front forecast to lie over the central South Island while high pressure and westerlies dominates to the north," says meteorologist Rob Kerr.
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"This means the sunniest weather will be in places east of major mountain ranges away from that front. In particular Wairarapa, Hawkes Bay, Gisborne, coastal Bay of Plenty and Nelson are set to see a fine end to 2019."
Those in the eastern areas of the North Island and the upper South Island are in for a fine, dry night that will be perfect for watching fireworks as the new year begins.
It's a different story for Westland and Fiordland, with a Severe Weather Watch for heavy rain in place until the morning of New Year's Eve. Metservice predicts the wet weather over the western side of the South Island won't let up until we're a full day into 2019.
Auckland could also be in for a rainy evening, with cloud and patchy drizzle expected by midnight.
Down the opposite end of the country, North Otago and parts of Dunedin could be celebrating the new year in dramatic style, as thunderstorms are possible on Monday afternoon and continuing into the evening.
Those in the central North Island could wake up to a cloudy first day of 2019, which will dissolve into showers later on Tuesday.
The West Coast will see a rainy January 1, and the eastern side of the island could follow suit later in the day.
Unless you're in the eastern North Island or upper South Island, it could pay to pack an umbrella along with the champagne this New Year's Eve.
Newshub.
