Hawke's Bay cruise tourists reach for an extra layer as autumn nip arrives

A chilly morning air welcomed thousands of cruise ship passengers on Ovation of the Seas. Photo / Warren Buckland

The sun may have been shining in Hawke's Bay on Wednesday, but a drop in temperatures forced tourists and locals alike to reach for an extra layer.

Passengers on the largest cruise ship to dock in Napier Port, Ovation of the Seas (which can hold almost 5000 passengers), may have been treated to sunny skies but there was a decisive autumn nip in the air in the morning.

The mercury stayed stubbornly under 20 in the Twin Cities, which both hit a high of 19C.

Locals should not expect a hot spell anytime soon. A high of 20C is expected on Thursday, but after that temperatures will remain under 20C heading into the weekend, according to MetService's forecast.