After a scorching weekend across parts of the country, hot weather is set to ease, with more typical summer temperatures returning to the North Island, while cooler conditions move into the South Island. The settled weather is expected to hold through the early part of the week, before rain arrives from mid-week onwards.
MetService says several temperature records were broken or matched over the weekend.
In Kerikeri, a new January record was set on Saturday at 32.3 degrees, before being surpassed on Sunday with 32.7 degrees, making it the town’s third-highest temperature ever recorded.
Whitianga equalled its highest January temperature on Sunday, reaching 30.6 degrees, while Napier Airport climbed to 36.3 degrees, its second-highest January temperature on record and among the station’s top five all-time readings.
Today, heat alerts remain in place for parts of Tairāwhiti Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, after overnight temperatures stayed above 20 degrees, offering little relief from the daytime heat. Elsewhere in the North Island, temperatures are easing back to more typical January conditions. Inland Waikato and Hawke’s Bay are expected to remain among the warmer areas this week, with highs in the upper 20s.
The weather stays mostly settled through Tuesday, apart from a few isolated showers. Rain is expected to arrive for some areas on Wednesday, becoming more widespread across the country from Thursday into Friday as a low-pressure system moves through.
In the South Island, conditions are also mostly settled at the start of the week. However, rain may begin to arrive from Wednesday afternoon, spreading across much of the island by Thursday and Friday.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says Tasman, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and eastern Otago are likely to receive the largest share of the rain this week.
The incoming cloud and rain will bring a noticeable cool-down for the eastern South Island, with temperatures dropping into the mid to upper teens from Thursday into the weekend. In places like Ashburton, highs are expected to fall from around 21 degrees on Wednesday to closer to 16 degrees for the remainder of the week.
Makgabutlane says while many people are returning to their regular routines this week, there are still chances to enjoy the long summer evenings – but with rain forecast for much of the country later in the week, keeping up to date with the latest forecasts is advised.
