![Illawarra Mercury file image of people enjoying the October sun at Austinmer Beach. Picture by Adam McLean. Illawarra Mercury file image of people enjoying the October sun at Austinmer Beach. Picture by Adam McLean.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UPAcJLQNVGftX3BUDy544C/496b8c52-71b8-42bd-9703-851c8ebbaa6d.jpeg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
With less than a month until Christmas, a rough weather forecast has already been predicted for the next four weeks - and it's expected to be warm and humid for the arrival of Santa Claus.
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Brief thunderstorms swept across Wollongong and the northern Illawarra on Sunday, with intermittent blue skies returning between bursts of cloud, which could be a sign of things to come.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast increasing showers from Tuesday night and possible thunderstorms for Wednesday, with up to 85 millimetres of rain set to fall in parts of the Illawarra.
Angus Konta, meteorologist with Weatherzone, said their long-range forecast shows more rain in coming weeks, but the amount should be in line with the December average.
"It's looking pretty close to average rainfall and probably a little warmer than average [for December]," he told the Mercury.
![Illawarra Mercury file image of a surf life saving volunteer on beach patrol at Thirroul. Beach Patrol Christmas Thirroul. Picture file image. Illawarra Mercury file image of a surf life saving volunteer on beach patrol at Thirroul. Beach Patrol Christmas Thirroul. Picture file image.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/UPAcJLQNVGftX3BUDy544C/7a53f494-30aa-44cd-a7b9-a5c2d8bcf1f4.jpg/r0_0_4494_2814_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Bellambi Point weather station had an average of 74.3 millimetres of rain for December, while Albion Park had an average of 78.5 - so expect similar for the first month of summer.
While he was unsure of the "success" of a Christmas Day forecast this far ahead, the meteorologist said Weatherzone's modeling predicted a damp lead-up to the big day.
"At this stage, it looks like we might get just a little bit of rain in the couple of days leading up to Christmas, but the day itself looks like it should be relatively dry," he said.
As for how hot it will be, Mr Konta said mid-December would start reaching into the high 20s for Wollongong while Albion Park could bake above 30.
He did have the disclaimer that exact temperatures for so far ahead were difficult, but "indications" from their modeling system suggested the mercury to rise from mid-month onwards.
In the more immediate future, he said more showers could be present from around December 3 and into the following week, but the Illawarra wouldn't be expected as much rainfall as predicted for coming days.