The top half of the North Island is set to sizzle today, with heat alerts issued for Hastings and Gisborne, which has already hit 30C today.
MetService says summer has well and truly arrived, with sweltering temperatures set to continue this week.
Many places throughout the country, especially in the North Island, saw record-smashing highs in the low 30s yesterday – and those are expected to climb even further today.
Gisborne was the first place in the country to hit 30C today, just after midday, while heat warnings have been issued for the city and Hastings which has a predicted high of 34C.
Temperatures are expected to stay in the mid to high twenties with sunshine, relatively stable air and higher than normal sea surface temperatures.
MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said Auckland would reach a “very toasty” 28C today, but that would be 6C towards the highest temperatures of the day.
Hastings is set to be the highest with a whopping 34C.
Lynden said other places in for a scorching day were Napier at 30C, Gisborne 32C, Wairoa 32C, Hamilton 28C, and Rotorua at 27C.
A heat alert is in place for Gisborne.
He said the South Island would be “generally cooler” today as southeasterlies push up the east coast and also bring the potential for showers.
“Perhaps some reprieve from those warm temperatures.
“But, certainly, the North Island is still in for some very warm weather.”
Good morning, New Zealand ☀️
— MetService NZ (@MetService) December 7, 2025
A band of cloud over the South Island is dropping scattered rain this morning 🌧️, this is expected to gradually move north and ease through the day. The North Island should remain largely clear today with high summer temperatures expected across the… pic.twitter.com/3Z6CkhtKS6
Lynden said the northeasterlies pushing over the North Island were responsible for the sweltering highs and were also keeping the humidity down and skies clear.
“So, we’re getting good daytime heating from the sun, keeping everything warm.”
Today’s heat follows record-smashing temperatures yesterday.
New December maximums were set in Tauranga and Whitianga, the latter breaking its record set in 1998 by 2.1C.
Tauranga reached 31.2C and Whitianga recorded 30.9C.
Rotorua had its fourth-hottest day on record, reaching 28C.
🔥Its been a scorcher of a day, with new maximum December temperatures provisionally set in Tauranga and Whitianga.
— MetService NZ (@MetService) December 7, 2025
Whitianga was particularly notable, smashing the previous December record of 28.8°C, which was set in 1998, by 2.1°C! pic.twitter.com/SwnV1Lypqc
Lynden also explained varying temperatures in cities like Gisborne and Hastings, which are close together but have differences of 4C.
“In areas like that on the east coast, we get what’s called a sea breeze, and that’s just winds kind of coming off the ocean.
“If you’re a bit further inland and those breezes don’t quite make it to you, then potentially you can get quite a lot warmer than those coastal areas.”
He said as the week continued, so would the soaring temperatures for the first half before the country saw a “chill pill” later on.
Northwesterlies would turn to southeasterlies on Thursday, but this would not necessarily mean it would be cold, only a dip from the dramatic highs.
Lynden said given it was already hot, it would be interesting to see how far temperatures climbed as we moved through the summer season.
The Earth Sciences New Zealand Seasonal Climate Outlook for December 2025-February 2026 put out last week reported Kiwis were in for a sweltering, dry start to summer, before a dramatic shift that threatens to bring a wet end to the season for the upper north.