There could be a brief respite from the boiling summer days in Southland and Otago this week, with one forecast suggesting daytime highs in parts of those regions may struggle to climb into the teens.
MetService says Sunday was the second-warmest January day on record for both Invercargill and Taumarunui, both up around 32C. Monday is forecast to be another swelter, with Masterton, Blenheim, and Twizel expected to jump into the 30s.
Auckland will hit 27C, Hamilton 29C, Tauranga, 26C, Wellington 24C, Christchurch 26C and Dunedin 22C.
Part of the reason for the hot temperatures, according to WeatherWatch, is that a high-pressure zone is departing New Zealand, leading to warm weather due to an increase in north to north-east winds.
Another high is about to roll in, but as it does, New Zealand is predicted to get a "more southerly flow", leading to a quick, and brief, change in temperature for some.
"Even though the settled, mostly dry weather continues – the transition from High 1 to High 2 means a cooler airflow is moving into Southland and Otago and by Thursday the daytime highs may even struggle to climb much into the teens in coastal areas – for a day or so," WeatherWatch says.
The high-pressure systems mean there aren't any significant rain bands forecast.
"There will be a few showers around East Cape and Gisborne over the coming week – and some inland downpours here and there."
Weatherwatch is also keeping an eye on tropical storms forming in the next week or two around the Coral Sea. One storm is expected to form north of New Zealand this weekend and could impact the country by the end of next week, but the forecaster says Kiwis shouldn't change their plans just yet as it isn't locked in and could end up missing New Zealand.
