This morning we thought we’d take a look back earlier in the year when Timaru topped the 40 degree mark.
Many centres up and down the country recorded very high temperatures on Waitangi Day.

Feb 6, 2011

Timaru has broken the record for its hottest day ever, with the temperature hitting a scorching 40.3 degrees shortly before 4pm at the airport but the botanical gardens topped out at 41.3 degrees.

The extreme heat is connected to the same heatwave that saw Sydney climb to 42 degrees yesterday and then record the hottest night ever, according to WeatherWatch.co.nz.

Other centres to melt in the heat today were Christchurch, Alexandra, Ashburton and Oamaru, which all officially reached 36 degrees.

But the weather news authority says Timaru can expect to drop 20 degrees quite suddenly later this afternoon or early evening as a southerly continues to move through.

The South Canterbury districtis home to nearly 43,000 people.

Dunedin reached 35 degrees before the southerly while Gisborne and Blenheim reached 34.

Numerous other regions and cities were in the 30s and late 20s across the country with the coolest weather on the nations western and southern coastlines of both islands.

Auckland made it to 28 degrees with unofficial recordings reaching the low 30s across the region.