Bay bathes in weekend sun

Amber Prior,18, Shannon Slegh, 18, and Laura Wright, 18, enjoy the sunshine at Mount Main Beach.

Glorious sunshine and a high of 25C attracted thousands to the Bay over the weekend, but forecasters are warning it won't last with wet weather on its way this week.

Restaurants on The Strand were busy with day trippers and locals making the most of the scorching weather while the region's beaches were packed. Motel owners reported bumper bookings and the fish were out in force, local fishermen told the Bay of Plenty Times.

Aucklanders Lilly Bell and Matt Arthur drove down for the weekend, choosing to bypass their local beaches for the Mount. "You can't beat the Mount," Ms Bell said.

"The water is incredibly warm and there is so much to do here like paddleboarding and surfing. We were planning on walking up Mauao but this weekend has just been so hot we have just been swimming the whole time."

Tauranga locals Amber Prior and Shannon Slegh waited until late afternoon to go sunbaking, trying to avoid being burnt in the harsh heat.

"We came down later, otherwise it is just too hot," Ms Prior said.

"I just hope this is a taste of summer, if the rest of the year is like this I will be so happy.

Metservice duty forecaster Liz Walsh said the warm weather would continue today with a high of 26C predicted.

"Before the weekend we were predicting wet weather due to a tropical low coming down the North Island but at the last minute it bypassed New Zealand altogether so we ended up with some glorious weather," she said.

"The rest of the week is looking very unsettled and there will be rain and by Thursday, thunder."