More hot days ahead for Bay

Taking the Plunge/ Tamanui Pungatara spends his 13th birthday cooling off near the Bridge Marina. Photo/John Borren.

Sweltering days have seen Bay residents taking to the water to cool down this week.

Temperatures reached 30C in Tauranga on Thursday - the hottest day this month according to Metservice.

But the roasting temperatures in the Bay are set to continue over the weekend although there is a chance of a few showers.

Tomorrow's forecast was for fine spells with a few showers, becoming more frequent and heavy in the afternoon, reaching a high temperature of 27C and low overnight of 19C.

On Sunday the temperature during daylight hours was predicted to be only 2C lower, with the chance of showers and light winds but little respite from the humidity.

Monday is expected to be fine, with a high of 24C and low of 17C.

Metservice meteorologist Ciaran Doolin said a warm and moist body of subtropical air stuck over the North Island was accounting for high temperatures and humidity plaguing Tauranga and the Western Bay region, which was set to continue this weekend.

"However, by Monday the sticky subtropical air mass will be replaced by a different air mass which will help to bring the temperatures and humidity down.

"It's likely to be drier as well," Mr Doolin said.