Kiwis returning to work on Monday are going to be greeted by scorching hot temperatures and a spell of fine weather.
It comes as a ridge of slow-moving high pressure over New Zealand will see most of the country experience a hot and mostly dry week of weather, according to MetService.
NIWA said high pressure over and east of New Zealand will cause a "northerly-quarter air flow", seeing air masses track in from Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Australia.
The high pressure will see the temperatures soar with most places reaching the mid-twenties on Monday while a couple of places are set to reach over 30 degrees.
Alexandra and Twizel are set to be the pick of the bunch on Monday reaching a scorching 31C.
The South Island towns of Omarama, Culverden, Waipara, Rakaia, Darfield and Masterton in the North Island are all not far behind, forecast to reach 29C while Blenheim, Hilltop in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula are set to reach 28 degrees - making it perfect beach weather.
MetService meteorologist Dom Barry told Newshub on Sunday some places could see some cloud as the week goes on but otherwise, it's going to be fine.
"It's going to be mainly fine weather for the majority of places. There will be the odd bit of cloud about and the deep south will see a little more cloud than most with just the way the winds are going, bringing some onshore clouds," MetService meteorologist Dom Barry told Newshub on Sunday.
"As we move into Tuesday, things do start to get a little bit cloudier in the south as the ridge moves off and winds start to pick up for the likes of Fiordland, Milford, that kind of area otherwise, mainly fine for most, I would say," he said.
But Barry did warn a front is likely to move over New Zealand towards the middle of this week, which could bring rain to some places.
"Heading into the middle of next week, we do have a front that appears to approach the South Island at this stage and move up it," he said.
"However then another ridge appears behind it later on next week. So a ridge and then a front to break it up and then we've got another ridge coming on."
But he told Newshub with that ridge of high pressure on the horizon, Kiwis can expect more fine weather to come at the end of next week.
"When the front comes up, we can expect there to be a little bit precipitation with that but aside from that, it's looking like summer has finally arrived for those places that have not quite experienced it yet," Barry told Newshub.
Temperatures for main centres in NZ:
- Auckland: 25
- Hamilton: 26
- Tauranga: 23
- Wellington: 23
- Christchurch: 26
- Dunedin: 19
- Queenstown: 26
MetService's short forecast for Monday:
Northland, Auckland and Coromandel
Fine, apart from a few morning showers about eastern Northland.
Waikato to Taranaki and the central high country, including Bay of Plenty, also Gisborne and Hawke's Bay
Mostly fine, however, isolated showers possible inland this afternoon and evening.
Whanganui to Wellington and Wairarapa
Fine weather.
Marlborough, Nelson, Buller and Westland
Fine in most places, apart from some cloud about southern Westland.
Canterbury, Otago and Southland
Cloudy periods south of Ashburton, especially morning and evening and near the coast, otherwise fine.
Fiordland
Cloud increasing. Patchy drizzle developing about the southern fiords.
Chatham Islands
Fine and cloudy periods.
