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Temperatures could hit 30C on Christmas Day in Hawke’s Bay, if the long-range forecast is anything to go by.

However, a meteorologist warns it may be too soon to celebrate just yet.

MetService’s extended forecast for Christmas across the Hawke’s Bay region was on Wednesday showing signs of a hot and sunny Yuletide.

MetService meteorologist John Law said the region was going to be a great place to spend Christmas.

“As I’m sure it always is.

“Most of our models are indicating more of a westerly spread of weather, which means a lot of the cloudier skies and perhaps wetter weather will be on the western side of the country, with the eastern side receiving some shelter from the hills and ranges, and some of the better chances of seeing that drier, brighter and warmer weather as well.”

At this early stage, Wairoa was expected to reach a high of 27C on a partly cloudy Christmas Eve with northerlies, before a fine Christmas Day with northerlies and a high of 28C, before the partly cloudy conditions return on Boxing Day with a high of 26C.

Napier looks set to have a partly cloudy Christmas Eve with easterlies and a high of 27C, then fine weather with northerlies and a high of 29C on Christmas Day, with the fine conditions expected to continue into Boxing Day with easterly winds and a high of 26C.

Hastings’ Christmas Eve is expected to be partly cloudy with light winds and a high of 28C, with fine conditions taking over on Christmas Day accompanied by northwesterly winds and a predicted high of 30C. The fine conditions are expected to last into Boxing Day with westerly winds and a high of 27C.

Waipukurau is predicted to have a partly cloudy Christmas Eve with westerlies and a high of 27C that is likely to be repeated a fine Christmas Day, before the clouds return on Boxing Day, lowering the temperature to 24C.

Law said it was “definitely not out of the question” that Hawke’s Bay could be the hottest place in the country over the holiday period.

However, he cautioned that the weather predictions came from an extended forecast and said that it’s always worth keeping a close eye on how the forecast is going to evolve in the lead-up to Christmas on MetService’s website or app.

“But at the moment, that eastern coast is looking a like a pretty good place to be.”

Jack Riddell is a multimedia journalist with Hawke’s Bay Today and has worked in radio and media in the UK, Germany, and New Zealand.