Updated 3:07pm — The first week of summer on the meteorological calendar is hot for some as temperatures over 30 degrees are recorded in New Zealand. For some inland parts of the South Island this is the third weekend in a row with daytime highs above their normal for this time of the year. Parts of Canterbury also haven’t had rain for a month but downpours yesterday helped some areas inland.

In Canterbury the mercury remains in the low 30s for some while in Central Otago and Marlbourgh some have reach 30 degrees.

3pm Temperatures in #Canterbury (#NewZealand‘s hottest region today).
Live – and NZwide version – here: https://t.co/JhDQfV5T50 pic.twitter.com/wyaw0ZSF3O

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) December 2, 2017

In the North Island parts of Hawke’s Bay are into the late 20s with significant downpours forming inland around the ranges and into Central Plateau. Today should be the last day of these inland downpours, for a couple of days anyway.

Meanwhile over in Australia a stormy start to summer continues with thousands of lightning strikes, flooding rains and more is expected across Saturday and into Sunday as the system tracks across south eastern areas.

It’s a major storm for Australia – with more unsettled weather coming.

The 10 day forecast for New Zealand shows drier than average weather for almost everyone although there is now an exception, it looks as though rain will be returning to the West Coast (as WeatherWatch.co.nz first suggested last week) in the second week of December.

1PM TEMPERATURES IN CANTERBURY (Click to see LIVE version and nationwide)

Rainfall from Friday night to Saturday morning shows most intense falls in New Zealand through Central Plateau and just north of Whanganui, and the ranges around Canterbury, plus the central mountains in the upper South Island.  In Australia the state of Victoria is taking the brunt of the early summer storm.

Getting readings at near and over 30 degrees now in and around Christchurch.@WeatherWatchNZ

— Karl Nelson (@Anarcho_Suburbo) December 1, 2017

2 days into summer and 31c in the screen. Didn’t take long this year @NapierinFrame @WeatherWatchNZ @PhilipDuncan pic.twitter.com/VwGS5KOslO

— James Morrison (@weatherbom) December 1, 2017

– WeatherWatch.co.nz