Bye to Bay's Indian summer

Will Bodeker from Taradale and Tim and Matt Norris from Hastings enjoy the sunshine with a round of golf at Awatoto. Photo / Duncan Brown

Last night was expected to be the coldest night of the week, with a chance of frost in some areas, according to MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn.

Tomorrow and Wednesday evenings would have brief periods of rain and showers but the rest of the week should be mostly fine, she said.

Today was looking fairly fine thanks to wind from the north-west, which rarely brings rain to Hawke's Bay.

Tomorrow will have a high of 20C and the evening could see a period of rain as a trough travels across the region.

On Wednesday north-westerlies strengthen, which could bring high cloud and a few spots of rain but not much.

On Wednesday evening the wind will swing to the south-west, bringing showers and colder temperatures after the day's high of 19C.

"On Thursday you will have some showers still around early in the morning but then the winds are going to turn to the north-west and it should clear and be mostly fine again."

Friday will see mostly north-westerly winds bringing fine weather.

Pipfruit New Zealand president Lesley Wilson said most apples were picked and other crops long since packed.

"There might be the odd organic block and juice apples to come off," she said.

She is glad to see the back of Hawke's Bay's Indian summer, despite the warm, dry weather bringing disease-free ripening for all type of Hawke's Bay harvests.

"A nice, cold winter would be good winter chilling for the trees and vines, and that helps with fruit set next year," she said.

The kind weather has brought an embarrassment of riches for the Hawke's Bay wine industry. The 2013 vintage was labelled as exceptional yet 2014, 2015 and now 2016 have seen perfect fruit flow to wineries.