Clear skies or warm winds are helping boost temperatures across New Zealand this afternoon but a few places are still dealing with chilly air.

Blenheim soared to 31 degrees taking the national high with Christchurch reaching 28.

See today’s national highs here.

Earlier below story (from 3pm)

This hour with 24 in Gisborne and Christchurch.  It’s 23 in Whitianga and 22s are dotted around several northern centres.

Wellington is on 18 with a strong northerly developing. It’s 18 also in Hawera , New Plymouth, Napier, and Taupo and 19 in Wanganui and Palmerston North.

But in the South Island the winds are yet to turn nor’west so some coastal areas remain cool.  It’s just 14 in Dunedin with a southerly and a sou’easter in Oamaru has also kept the temperature at 14 this hour.

Rain and westerlies have kept Queenstown chilly on 12 degrees while Invercargill has 14.