Weather: Scorching temperatures sweep New Zealand, heat alerts likely for Hawke’s Bay

Scorching conditions, heat alerts and fire risks are in store for much of New Zealand as one centre is forecast to reach 37C.

MetService forecaster Braydon White told the Herald hot air from Australia’s heatwave would make its way across the Tasman from today and threatens to push temperatures into the 30s later in the week.

“Temperatures in those eastern areas will start spiking quite significantly, even for New Zealand summer weather standards.

⛈️ Thunderstorms are bubbling up over the eastern North Island this afternoon, clearing in the evening
🌧️ A westerly flow directs rain towards the South Island, and draws hot air from Australia
🌡️📈 Temperatures begin to hike up, especially in eastern areas pic.twitter.com/fvQpBvaKaO

— MetService NZ (@MetService) January 7, 2026

“Many places are hitting 30C, especially eastern areas such as Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Hastings, Masterton, Blenheim, Kaikoura and Christchurch,” he said.

MetService predicts temperatures will reach the mid-30s on Sunday.

“Hastings is currently forecast for 37C,” White said.

“I would say it will be quite likely we will be issuing heat alerts.”

In Auckland, temperatures are forecast to reach into the high 20s during the weekend.

“[It will be] 28C, 29C. It’s still going to be quite hot. Getting near 30C is pretty impressive for Auckland,” White said.

Fire and Emergency Hawke’s Bay assistant fire commander Jason Hill said firefighters were concerned about the Napier-Heretaunga [Hastings] area, through to Central Hawke’s Bay and northern Te Rerenga areas.

Firefighters battled a scrub fire on a hillside in Fernhill, Hastings, last month. There are fears of more fires this weekend with high temperatures forecast. Photos / Glenn Thomson

“There’s an extremely high potential that if any fire breaks out, it could be quite serious and extremely fast-moving and fast spreading.”

The Hawke’s Bay public were being “a little bit fooled” by the green tinge from rain before New Year’s Eve, but there was a lot of dry grass and scrub around, Hill said.

“There’s a high chance that any fire that breaks out across the weekend could be extremely difficult to control.”

White told the Herald a front would push onto the South Island, bringing heavy rain to Fiordland and southern Westland.

MetService has issued a heavy rain watch for the western areas of Fiordland about and north of Doubtful Sound, and Westland south of the Haast River.

It is forecast to begin at 2pm and last until 6am tomorrow.

“The heavy rain will spill over a bit to places like Invercargill, Dunedin, and maybe Christchurch could see a few showers as well,” White said.

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