It's officially the first day of summer and according to NIWA, warm weather and high winds are on the menu for the rest of the season.
During an El Niño, New Zealand summers tends to mean strong winds from the west, meaning eastern parts of the country dry out and western areas receive more rain.
NIWA says the current El Niño is almost certain to carry on through summer, and there's an 85 percent chance of it continuing through autumn.
In Hawke's Bay, locals have their fingers crossed for a clear Christmas, but others aren't getting their hopes up.
Our reporter Kate Green has more.
