‘Respectable’, is one word to describe the temperatures up and down the country today.

Mid to high teens were commonplace and the sun shone brightly in many areas and especially Kawerau, where the warmth of the day was the highest in the land, with 20 degrees.Whakatane and Murchison were next in line nabbing 19 degrees each.

The coolest centres were between Wellington and Oamaru and also inland Southland, but they were still all in double figures. Just one reading of 9 was recorded at the gardens in Timaru, which was the nations chilly spot.

Auckland managed 16 today, Hamilton got to a very pleasant 18, Wellington and Christchurch were the coolest big cities with 12 and Dunedin topped 14.

The overnight lows on the way tonight are all above zero for the first time nationally, in quite some time. Central Otago may see a little cloud overnight preventing the temperatures from freezing.One or two showers are dotted around the country but also a dry and cool night is instore for many regions.

Most of the country tomorrow are in for a fairly quiet Thursday weatherwise with sunshine abundant in a number of areas.

Weather Analyst Richard Green

Why wait until 6 O’clock for the day’s weather extremes when you can read it here first!  The Daily Debrief, each afternoon between 4 and 5 exclusive to the Weather Watch Centre.