Hawke’s Bay’s temperature hit its highest level in two summers over weekend

Luka (left) and Indie Peluchetti from Townsville, Australia, play in the Tom Parker fountain to cool down in Napier over the weekend. Photo / Connull Lang

A long-awaited Hawke’s Bay summer made itself known over the weekend, with temperatures soaring across the region for the first time since February 2022.

Napier city recorded a high of 30.7C on Sunday, making it the first time temperatures had risen over 30C in the city since that month.

Hastings also recorded 30.3C on Saturday, and Wairoa was slightly behind the pack with a high of 27.4C on Sunday.

MetService Meteorologist Lewis Ferris told Hawke’s Bay Today it was likely a sign of what was to come, with another 30C high possibly hitting the region on Wednesday and temperatures set to stay in the 20s most days.

“It hasn’t really been cooling off overnight. The lows over the weekend were around 14 and 15C, and Monday morning only had a low of 17C,” Ferris said.

“That is going to aid in temperatures coming back up.”

He said cloud rolling in could see a cap on some of the sweltering temperatures earlier in the week, and there may even be a shower or two in the mix as well.

“You might have a bit of an easterly breeze coming off the water.”

Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said there are plenty of warm temperatures to come across the country for the end of the year, as a warm air mass from Australia is to arrive just before the holiday period.

“We could be seeing 30C-plus temperatures around Wednesday and Thursday, especially in eastern areas, where we’re expecting northwest winds,” Noll said.

“So, it certainly seems like we’re in for a hot end to the calendar year, here.”

The hottest temperature ever recorded in Napier, Ferris said, was 37.5C in December 1994.

“To get into the top five December temperatures, you would have to be exceeding 33C.”

While not used this week, MetService recently introduced the trial of a new Heat alert to inform people of unusually hot temperatures over the summer.

MetService said the alert was not designed to capture every hot summer day, but rather focus on ‘top end’ heat.

It will be used for 46 towns or cities and could be actioned anytime until March 31 2024.

Preparations are under way as temperatures rise in the un-airconditioned main building at Hawke’s Bay Hospital in Hastings.

However there are locations across the hospital which are kept cool via permanent air conditioning units, including ED, ICU, mental health, theatre block, and the endoscopy units.

Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay acting group director of operations – Hospital and Specialist Services Paula Jones said they are “continuously looking at ways to improve the conditions for our kaimahi and patients when the temperatures rise.

“Our health and safety and wellbeing team has considered the meteorological forecast for the upcoming summer and Te Whatu Ora will keep our staff, patients, visitors and community updated on advice on how to manage health and wellbeing in high temperatures.”

Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community.