Christchurch residents gearing up for a packed weekend of festivities, including the Christchurch Santa Parade and the Bishopdale Family Day Out, can expect mixed weather conditions, according to MetService meteorologist John Law.

Saturday: A cooler, cloudier start

Saturday’s forecast suggests a cooler day with temperatures peaking around 14 degrees Celsius. Law said, “Perhaps plan for your indoor activities, especially in the morning, as there will be a few showers around at first. These will likely affect Banks Peninsula and the foothills of Canterbury before clearing later in the day.”

A southerly breeze will make it feel even cooler, but Law added, “By the end of the day, we should see clearer skies, so it’s not all bad news.”

Sunday: Sunshine for Santa

Sunday looks much brighter for the Santa Parade, with higher pressure bringing clearer skies and warmer temperatures.

“Sunday is the better day,” Law said. “We’ll see plenty of dry weather across most of the region, with a chilly start giving way to daytime highs of around 22 degrees Celsius. There’ll be some cloud arriving later, but overall, it’s a great day for Santa and his journey through the city.”

Looking ahead to next week

As the workweek begins, Law predicts a return to changeable spring weather. “Heading into next week, we’ll see a shift back to a west or northwest flow, which means temperatures will rise again,” he said. “By midweek, daytime highs should climb to around 25–26 degrees Celsius in Christchurch. It’s a good reminder of how quickly spring weather can change.”