Whangarei sizzles under 31 degree temperature

Official readings taken at Whangarei Airport showed a very warm 31C.

Weather forecasters predicted it would be a sizzling Sunday afternoon in Northland and they were right, with the mercury hitting 31C in Whangarei yesterday.

MetService had forecast 30C but it topped that about 3pm at Whangarei Airport, where official readings are taken, and it showed a very warm 31C.

Meteorologist Sarah Sparks said Dargaville recorded a maximum temperature of 27C as did Kerikeri, while Kaikohe and Kaitaia were slightly cooler at 25C.

However if her predictions were right, a front approaching from the west would have seen a few showers last night that were due to clear this morning.

The temperatures were expected to peak at 28C in Kerikeri and Paihia today, 25C in Whangarei, 24C in Kaitaia and 20C in Dargaville.

"In behind the front it's only slightly cooler."

Tuesday was going to be warm and fine with the hottest place in Northland expected to be Kerikeri and Paihia on 25C.

Yesterday's heat comes after it was announced last week Northland was the hottest region in the country last year, for the fifth year running.

All of Northland's six weather stations featured in the top 15 hot spots, with Whangarei leading with a mean average temperature of 16.9C, recorded at Whangarei Airport.

This was Whangarei's second-highest reading since 1967. With the weather data collected at the airport, the thermometer would have been up to 4C higher inland.