Head to the ice cream trucks Hawke's Bay: It's hot and muggy, but relief in sight

A berry nice Sunday being enjoyed the way it should be by Beatrize, 4, and Angelo Juanola 8, tucking into some ice cream. Photo / Ian Cooper

A warm air mass from the sub-tropics, and warm northwesterlies combine to create a perfect storm for sweat-inducing, sleepless nights for Hawke's Bay.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said Hawke's Bay was set to hit warmer than average temperatures at the weekend, and the start of the week.

On Sunday as at 11am Hastings was the warmest in the country sitting at a "very warm" 28.6 degrees Celsius with Napier not far behind at 28C.

Makgabutlane said similar conditions were expected for Monday and Tuesday.

"There's quite a warm, moist air mass from the sub-tropics hitting New Zealand and for the East Coast, particularly for Hawke's Bay the wind direction, a northwesterly.

"By the time it reaches the coast it warms up, compounding the heat."

Isabella, 4, and Valentina Pedreros 7, of Frimley enjoy bubbles and sunshine at the Frimley Rose Gardens. Photo / Ian Cooper

She said temperatures in Napier, for this time of the year, were between eight and nine degree Celsius above normal.

"For this time of the year, the average temperature for Napier is usually 21C, now it's 28C or 29C."

She said even the minimum temperature was trying to keep up by hovering around 18 to 19C which, compared with last week, was about 10C warmer.

She said Tuesday dawned "a little less warm" but cautioned it was only marginally so, with temperatures in both Napier and Hastings are expected to be around 26C.

"The northwesterlies are still sticking around, but the first sign of relief will be felt on late-Tuesday, Wednesday."

On Wednesday, Napier and Hastings can expect temperatures to be between 23C and 24C with overnight lows dropping to single digits, making for more comfortable nights, she said.