Wet, dry and 'extreme' UV index: The roller-coaster weather in the Bay this week

It might be wet now, but a NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll has warned against "extreme" UV later this week.

Rotorua was the wettest spot in the Bay of Plenty with 17.2mm of rain between midnight and 8am this morning.

In that same time, Tauranga had 5.8mm, Te Puke had 2.8mm and Whakatāne 1.4mm.

More rain is expected throughout the day but Noll said this would ease tonight.

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Across the Bay, Tuesday will be sunny and dry, reaching temperatures in the upper teens.

Wednesday would be slightly cooler with a mixture of sun and cloud, and the afternoon would have a few showers.

Thursday and Friday are forecast to be dry, sunny with temperatures expected to get up to the 20s.

The temperatures this weekend may hit well into the 20s and be dry and sunny.

Noll said the UV index was high this time of the year and sunscreen was important, especially between 11am and 4pm.

"When the sun is out [the index] could be higher than 10 which is extreme . . . the scale is peaking out," Noll said.

Looking ahead through to January, Noll said temperatures are forecast to be average or above average, and a wet November to January were not likely.