12noon Update: 

Current temperatures across NZ

• Auckland: 19 deg
• Hamilton, Paeroa, Palmerston North and surprisingly Waiouru:  20 deg
• A cool southerly in Wellington means it’s only 15 there.
• Similar story in Kaikoura where it’s 14
• So far just 14 in Queenstown.

We’ve had the warm days this week, now we’re getting into the warm nights. Two nights ago it was a balmy 19 degrees in Queenstown at 9pm and now northern New Zealand will also enjoy warmer evenings.

“Northern regions such as Hamilton and Auckland have had relatively cold nights over the past week with temperatures dropping to single digits. Starting from tonight those easterly winds are going to lift overnight temperatures into the mid teens along with high humidity” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

Mr Duncan says many regions in the top half of the North Island will be above 16 or 17 degrees this evening with many centres not even dipping below that by tomorrow morning. “We’re really getting into summer weather conditions now…perhaps a sign that the worst of spring is behind us”.

However Duncan wouldn’t say for sure that the cold weather was over. “In New Zealand you can never rule out a short, sharp, southerly.  It may all change again next week – and we’ve even seen late snow falls on New Years Eve”.  However he does say the patterns do seem to be changing.

In the South Island today and temperatures look as though they’ll be pushing close to 30 degrees through Central Otago thanks to clear skies and little wind.   A large high remains anchored on both sides of the South Island ensuring sunny, hot, weather remains.  This will be worrying news to farmers though, who are already seeing their farms drying out well before Summer’s hottest months.

Don’t Forget – THE DAILY DEBRIEF – every day before 5pm bringing you the nation’s highs before anyone else does!