New Year’s Washout? Heavy Rain and Gales Threaten Festival Hotspots
By Lions Roar News National Bureau
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND (December 28, 2025) – New Zealanders heading to iconic summer festivals and coastal campgrounds are facing a damp start to their New Year’s celebrations. MetService has issued a series of heavy rain watches and wind warnings as an active low-pressure system prepares to sweep across the North Island on Monday and Tuesday.
The timing could not be worse for the music industry, with the nation’s premier New Year’s festival, Rhythm & Vines, set to kick off in Gisborne tomorrow.
⛺ Festivals in the Firing Line
Approximately 15,000 to 18,000 campers are expected to descend upon the Waiohika Estate in Gisborne today, just as the first bands of tropical moisture begin to arrive.
Key Warning Areas:
- Gisborne/Tairāwhiti: An Orange Heavy Rain Warning is in effect for 18 hours starting from 6:00 a.m. Monday through Tuesday morning.
- Coromandel Peninsula: A Heavy Rain Watch is active, with potential thunderstorms and localized downpours that could turn campsites into mudbaths.
- Hawke’s Bay: Anticipating nearly 24 hours of drenching rain starting Monday morning.
MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden warned that the moisture coming down from the tropics is the primary concern. “It’s certainly going to be quite wet, and we’re expecting those areas to approach our warning criteria,” Lynden stated.
🚗 Hazardous Holiday Travel
With thousands of Kiwis currently on the roads for the summer break, the weather system brings more than just soggy tents. MetService has warned that streams and rivers may rise rapidly, posing a risk of surface flooding and slips on winding coastal roads.
- Driving Conditions: Gale-force southeasterly winds—potentially gusting up to 120 km/h in exposed places—will make driving high-sided vehicles and campervans particularly challenging.
- Road Closures: Gisborne District Council has already implemented temporary road closures around the Rhythm & Vines site (including Harper Road and Glenelg Road) to manage the massive influx of traffic under these difficult conditions.
⛅ The New Year’s Eve Outlook: Where is the Sun?
If you’re looking for a dry countdown to 2026, the South Island is currently your best bet. While the North Island grapples with the lingering low-pressure system, the south is expected to see more settled—albeit “chilly”—conditions.
| Location | New Year’s Eve/Day Forecast |
| Auckland | Cloudy with a northwesterly flow; afternoon showers likely. |
| Wellington | Rain expected, particularly on New Year’s morning. |
| Christchurch | Settled with light winds; a good spot for outdoor fireworks. |
| Dunedin | Chilly! Highs of only 16°C–18°C as southerlies move in. |
| Gisborne | Damp start, but a chance of clearing by the evening of the 31st. |
