Tauranga forecast to have highest temperature so far this summer

Tauranga is set to have the hottest day of the summer so far.

MetService meteorologist Tahlia Crabtree confirmed a melting 28C was in store for the city today- the highest temperature since early December, which peaked at 27.6C.

"If Tauranga reaches 28C today it will definitely be one of the warmest days."

Ice creams will be the order of the day. Photo / File

It also might not be a bad idea to flee Rotorua for a soak in the ocean and enjoy the sun, with temperatures set to reach 26C today and 24C tomorrow.

Humid conditions return for the upper North Island. Auckland is not expected to drop below 16° at night for at least the next week, and on Thurs night Tauranga only drops to 18°. Due to light winds, humid subtropical air over NZ, and summer! https://t.co/HpZ8W2fDUC ^TA pic.twitter.com/Aipo0yPuMG

— MetService (@MetService) January 5, 2021

"I imagine you've had pretty uncomfortable night temperatures because it has been very warm at night across the Bay," Crabtree said.

"People will definitely want fans."

Dipping into the ocean could be the only way to cool off over the next few days. Photo / File

Warm tropical air was making its way across the North Island causing hot and humid nights, Crabtree said.

"That means at night temperatures are not dropping down super low. They drop and then this warm air makes it feel really sticky.

"The temperatures are going to probably continue for another couple nights."

The hottest day in Tauranga yet will be followed by sticky nights Metservice says. Photo / File

The weather is in stark contrast to rain that battered the region at the beginning of the new year.

Bad weather shut at least three roads in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, and flooding and slips thwarted travel plans.

Crabtree said the warm air helped to create the thunderstorms that caused the carnage.

"They are pretty common during summer when you have the very warm humid air and you get a bit of sea breeze coming off the ocean. It all comes together to make thunderstorms.

"If you've got a lot of that humid air, a lot of moisture around, thunderstorms can get pretty gnarly and that's what the Bay of Plenty saw over the weekend."

Moving towards the weekend, the sticky nights will begin to drop off as rain is expected late Friday.

"There is quite a bit of cloud expected so probably not going to get too warm during the day. We are expecting some rain to be moving across because there is a front moving on to the country and we might see that move up onto the North Island on Friday," Crabtree said.

Tauranga weather
• Wednesday: High - 28 Low - 17
• Thursday: High - 27 Low - 18
• Friday: High - 23 Low - 16

Rotorua weather
• Wednesday: High - 26 Low - 15
• Thursday: High - 24 Low - 15
• Friday: High - 20 Low - 13