Light relief before heat returns for weekend as hot spell continues for New Zealand

Some welcome relief is on the way after another day of scorching temperatures across parts of the country.

Eastern and central regions baked for the second day straight on Thursday with Christchurch and Tīmaru topping the charts on 31C.

It comes amid a warm spell that saw Wairoa in Hawke's Bay reach 33.4C yesterday - the second hottest November day there on record.

Devonport at sunrise. Photo / Michael Craig

Auckland saw a high of 23C with some humid conditions.

The slight brown tinge in this image is smoke and dust from Australian bushfires. Many Kiwis have noticed haze in the air - this is the cause. ^AJ pic.twitter.com/S5v1bvHvhG

— MetService (@MetService) November 28, 2019

MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said temperatures would dip a little tomorrow, with isolated showers in the North Island potentially becoming thundery.

Walking the dog at Devonport at sunrise. Photo / Michael Craig

Behind the warm temperatures was a moist northwest flow coming from across the Tasman Sea, that would ease tomorrow as a ridge of high pressure spread across the country.

Have you noticed the hazy sky? 🌫️

Smoke and dust particles from the Australian bushfires continue to sit over New Zealand.

This will continue over the weekend, especially for the North Island. pic.twitter.com/0Fh1AuIFL2

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 28, 2019

On Saturday the North Island would see morning cloud before becoming fine, but with isolated afternoon and evening showers inland.

In the South Island, some morning cloud would persist in the east, otherwise fine.

Smoke and dust brought over from Australia by a strong northwest flow has made for specatuclar sunrises. Photo / Michael Craig

However, cloud and showers would increase in the west later.

By Saturday afternoon and into Sunday another northwest flow would arrive, bringing with it another round of hot temperatures - particularly in eastern and central parts of the country.

Dozens of record or near record max temps have occurred in NZ during November ☀️

This far outnumbers a handful of cool temp extremes during September-October. pic.twitter.com/BoWcKYCNxP

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 27, 2019

There would be a few showers in the north and western parts of the country.

Coutts said along with the hot weather, smoke was also crossing the Tasman Sea from Australia.

The haze people can see out their window is due to northwest winds bringing the smoke and dust across the Tasman, making for some spectacular sunrises and sunsets.