4pm Update

Temperatures continue to soar today until clear skies and mostly light winds.

A number of centres across the North Island are in the low to mid 20s including Auckland (20), Hamilton (23), Gisborne (25), Taupo (22) and Hastings (23), however a strong northerly is keeping things a little cooler in Wellington with 17 degrees.

But it’s the South Island that’s rocketing this hour.  *Please note that it was Timary that reached 30 and not Christchurch as reported in our last update.  We apologise for the mistake*

30 degrees is being reported in Timaru with 28 degrees in Dunedin.  Elsewhere it’s 21 in Blenheim, 24 in Kaikoura, 26 in Christchurch and a string of 25s and 26s being reported through Central Otago.  Invercargill has 21.

Reports have also come in that it was 33 degrees in Rakaia at 11am.

WANT TO KNOW THE HOTTEST PLACE IN NZ TODAY? 

Find out FIRST with the Daily Debrief – this afternoon at 4:30pm – almost 2 hours earlier than anyone else!

We’ll update frequently through this afternoon.

The reign of summer temperatures continues today as a High (anticyclone), with two centres on either side of the country, continues to hold it’s ground…for now.  A Low (depression) in the south is challenging it and that means a return to strong nor’westers in the south – pushing the week’s large High over northern New Zealand. 

“This week northern New Zealand, mainly Northland and Auckland, has seen a lot of cloud with patchy rain and drizzle over Northland.  Today the high will push northwards removing all rain clouds and lifting temperatures back into the low to mid 20s” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

Mr Duncan says the South Island will be in for another summer treat today as nor’westers fire back up and lift temperatures even higher than yesterday.  “Alexandra reached 27 yesterday but today it could be heading into the lower 30s… that’s well above average for November but it is normal to see spikes like this during late spring nor’westers”.

The strengthening winds will also lift temperatures much closer to 30 right up the east coast from Dunedin to Christchurch. 

Eastern and central areas of the North Island will also be in for high temperatures.  “Yesterday Waiouru was a few degrees warmer than Auckland…that’s due to the heat of the land lifting the mercury whereas in Auckland the sea on both sides keeps the temperature moderate.  We’ll see a repeat of that today with places like inland Hawkes Bay, Waikato and Wairarapa pushing into the mid 20s while Auckland reaches around 21 or 22 “.

Temperatures for eastern parts of the North Island maybe even higher on Sunday as the nor’wester heads north.

 

What’s it like where you are right now? 

Post the current weather conditions at your place by using the Comments section below.  It doesn’t have to be scientific – just your own observations!  It was great reading yesterday’s comments!