Warm weather continues

The Tukituki River shimmers on a clear autumn day. Photo / Warren Buckland

Hawke's Bay can expect a continuation of the warm early to mid-May weather with temperatures forecast over 20C today.

A Metservice forecaster said a maximum of 24C is forecast for Napier-Hastings today and again on Wednesday.

The unofficial maximum temperature for the area in the first week of the month was 24.9C recorded in Hastings, a degree warmer than the maximum for May last year.

The forecaster said a weak southerly heading "up the coast" was unlikely to reach Hawke's Bay today, if at all, although temperatures are expected to be no warmer than 20C tomorrow.

But a front moving in by Thursday was being forecast to bring westerly winds and some heavy rain, a relief to farmers.

In the past six weeks just 20mm of rain has been recorded in Hastings, about a quarter of the historical average.

But there have been traces of rain on the Heretaunga Plains since Thursday, while unusually heavy fog shrouded Napier from early morning on Saturday, some residents being alarmed by the regular sounding of a fog-horn during shipping movements at Napier Port.

One vessel arrived about 3.45am, and another departed a short time afterwards.

The fog did not lift until after 9am, but there were not thought to have been flight disruptions at Hawke's Bay Airport.