Weather

More than 100 firefighters remain at the fireground in Perth's south to continue to strengthen containment lines ahead of expected strong winds and more hot and dry conditions.

It is going to be a damp start to Christmas Day for places like Taranaki, which has an orange heavy rain warning issued from tonight until Monday morning.

Aucklanders who have spent the year dealing with storm-affected homes are getting some relief, as the first of the council property buyouts get underway.

New modelling shows there is now a 33 percent chance of the region seeing an acute water shortage this summer - and that would mean level 4 water restrictions.

Clouds are rolling in and could let loose on the day. But bigs parts of the country have reason for optimism. Audio

Ten months after Cyclone Gabrielle, bad weather has left the recovery for many East Coast and Tairāwhiti farmers stuck in the mud.

Smog from raging bushfires in New South Wales has made its way across the Tasman.

The only hotter two years were 2021 and 2022.

The advice comes as the region is preparing for the possibility of severe water restrictions.

Parts of the country are facing heats in the 30s on Wednesday, while the Christmas forecast is looking dreary.

One agreement will be settled this week, and the other early in the new year, Hastings District Council says.

As heavy rain starts to ease and flood evacuations continue, locals are wondering how a relatively low category cyclone turned into such chaos.

Fine weather is expected for the majority of the country on Tuesday, with isolated showers might hit Auckland.

A New Zealander who has lived in Cairns for 30 years has never seen flood waters as high as they are currently in far north Queensland.

Rain could spoil some people's Christmas plans, with wet weather possible for several parts of the motu next Monday. Audio