The big fry continued over a number of areas around the country once again today with many centres topping 30 degrees or more!.

Gisborne hit 33, Masteron topped 34, however it seems Canterbury felt the most intense heat. Unofficially, 40 degrees was recorded in a number of suburban centres in Christchurch city, however 36 degrees(35.7) was recorded at the airport which is just 0.2 degrees shy of the all time January record.

Le Bons Bay on Banks Peninsula broke the all time record for the month by one and a half degrees with a high of 30.6 degrees.Many people have been in contact up and down the country talking about the heat with some believing this is the hottest day on record…statistically not quite but certainly hot enough!

The hot spot around the nation was Christchurch with that 36 degrees and the cool one was Haast with a respectable 18!

Don’t miss the Daily Debrief – ahead of everyone else, between 4:30 and 5pm every day – exclusive to WeatherWatch.co.nz!

Kaitaia : 28
Whangarei : 26
Auckland : 26
Tauranga : 26
Hamilton : 28
Whakatane : 24
Rotorua : 25
Tokoroa : 28
Taupo : 26
Gisborne : 33
New Plymouth : 24
Napier : 26
Hastings : 28
Wanganui : 25
Palmerston North : 27
Levin : 23
Kapiti : 24
Masterton : 34
Wellington : 25
Nelson : 26
Blenheim : 28
Westport : 23
Greymouth : 22
Hokitika : 22
Christchurch : 36
Timaru : 30
Oamaru : 25
Alexandra : 30
Queenstown : 27
Dunedin : 24
Invercargill : 21

Bay of Islands : 23
Murchison : 32
Kaikoura : 29
Ashburton : 33
Darfield : 33
Lyttelton : 33
Hanmer Springs : 34
Amberley: 35
Milford Sound : 20
Haast : 18
Gore : 27
Dunedin Airport : 23
Manapouri : 25
Lake Rotoiti : 30
Molesworth : 32

What a day with so many sites topping 30 and tonight it will feel uncomfortable once again as the northerly airflow continues bringing the very warm air. It might feel sticky for many of us trying to sleep with temperatures near the 20 degree mark but there is relief in sight for southerners later tomorrow.

There is a cool southerly change on the horizon and is expected to slowly work up over the mainland and should reach Canterbury and Marlborough by tomorrow night. For the rest of us, another very warm day is on the cards before a changeable weekend.

Richard Green