Napier and Hastings are leading the charge with 35 degrees being clocked up inside the last 60 minutes.Very hot nor’ westers have seen the mercury soar and Hastings is almost at 37 degrees at the present time of 12.40pm.

Further north and Gisborne has clocked up 30 degrees already as well. Tauranga is in the mid 20s as nor’ wester kicks in.

Christchurch has cracked 30 degrees this lunchtime ahead of a cooler change beginning to move into South Canterbury. Blenheim is in the high 20s as is Kaikoura and could climb higher before a cool wind change later.

In the deep south, temperatures are in the low to mid teens as a southerly delivers a little liquid sunshine but inland areas remain in the mid 20s in Wanaka, Queenstown and Alexandra.