Hawke's Bay hits 30C for third straight day, but tropical temperatures set to fade

The week's hot temperatures will not linger through to the weekend in Hawke's Bay, but conditions will remain fine around the region and the Havelock North Hills. Photo / Paul Taylor

The abnormally hot temperatures that have swept over Hawke's Bay this week look likely to leave the region by the weekend.

Temperatures again went past 30C in Hastings on Thursday, hitting 30.5C by 1pm - the third straight day that Hawke's Bay has basked in the 30s.

MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris said the humid week will be settling down for a slightly cooler weekend.

"What has been bringing this really warm temperature to the likes of Hawke's Bay is moving away to the east and we have a southerly change that's making its way up the coast," he said.

The southerly wind change is going to bring the temperatures down to normal December levels, Ferris said.

The region is expected to hit a high of 27C on Friday, but will drop several degrees by Saturday.

Napier's weather on Saturday is projected to reach a high of 23C with fine conditions – despite the arrival of cooler air.

Hastings should get to 22C on Saturday; Wairoa could get up to 21C and Waipukurau 19C.

Ferris said the weekend will still be warm and fine all around Hawke's Bay.

"In reality it's not as warm as it has been over the working week but it's still looking quite nice," he said.

Sunday will have more cloud cover and Napier will be around 20C with Hastings set to be a degree warmer.

Ferris said the week's hot and humid weather comes down to two main trying factors.

"Wind direction is one – Hawke's Bay has had persistent winds from the west and northwest, which is going to tend to be a warmer wind," he said.

"On top of that is the actual air mass - which was a collection of very humid air that has come from the direction of the tropics and come down across the Tasman Sea."

Ferris added: "The temperature of this air and the moisture content is what has pumped up those temperatures and overnight temperatures especially."

The areas around Hastings and Napier both reached between 30C and 30.6C on Tuesday.

Hastings also reached 30.6C on Wednesday.