New Zealand heatwave: Is it hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk?

Roasting temperatures around the country have caused a road to melt and driven many indoors or to the water, but was it really hot enough to fry an egg on the road?

With temperatures peaking at 35C in parts of Napier, making it the hottest spot in the country, we put the age old expression to the test.

The Hawke's Bay Today team hit the street to find the perfect spot for a fry-up.

A steel manhole cover was chosen and, prepared with a good dose of oil, the egg was cracked.

While the sun was hot enough to turn the most weathered bodies red, the egg failed to cook with its appearance not changing at all.

But temperatures are only expected to climb in the coming days.