Region temperatures break records

Heat wave: Napier has broken a 52 year-old record for temperatures in November reaching 33 degrees this afternoon. Photo/Warren Buckland.

Temperatures in Napier have now reached 33 degrees breaking a 52 year-old record for November.

MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said this was the hottest it had been since 1964 when temperatures reached 31.8 degrees at the Nelson Park Station.

"Normally it is easier to break records when the weather stations have only been there for a few years but the Nelson Park station was put in back in 1868, which makes it quite interesting."

This weather station was not the only one breaking records in Napier with the Airport thermometer recording its highest temperature for November since 1982, reaching 33.4 degrees this afternoon.

"The previous high was held 34 years ago at 31.4 degrees so it has moved up by two degrees this year."

Wairoa was not far behind recording 32.9 degrees in the last hour, which breaks a four year old record.

Hastings joined the record breaking club reaching 32 degrees, which topped their previous high of 31.7 last year.

Ms Flynn said all of the necessary ingredients had lined up producing these sweltering temperatures and the foehn effect.

"Foehn winds are produced as Napier sits to the east of the ranges, so as the air comes over it dries out and heats up a lot."

Tomorrow this changes as the winds will come directly off the sea producing sea breezes and cooler air.

"We will see a drop in temperatures, as they will be sitting around the early to mid twenties."

Napier is expected to drop to 21 degrees while Hastings drops to 23 degrees.