The last days of summer are expected to dawn hot and dry with a few showers, MetService says.
After a scorcher of a weekend - with the mercury soaring to 30C in Taumarunui, 29C in Hamilton and 28C in the City of Sails - Metservice forecaster Paul Ngamanu didn't expect much to change in the week ahead.
"This week's weather will be much the same as last week. We're hoping to get a few more showers for those drought-stricken places in the north, maybe," he said.
WeatherWatch's March outlook shows a few "gaps" or areas of possible rain and showers between the huge highs that have led to drought in parts of the country.
The best chances for rain - during a break between two highs - fall on this Tuesday and Wednesday and at the end of next week.
Ngamanu said another front is expected to move onto the country on Tuesday, bringing rain and showery conditions to the South Island, moving to the North Island come Wednesday.
"A heavy rain watch is in place for Westland and Fiordland in the South Island on Monday and Tuesday," Ngamanu said.
But the front will weaken as it moves up to the North Island, so no decent showers are expected in the areas that really need it, he said.
March looks to be more of a "balancing act" than last month, with periods of wet weather in the dry zones, Weatherwatch said.
"In a nutshell nothing jumps out as a 'drought reverser' but unlike our last update in February we have slightly more optimism for wet weather."
And it won't be cooling down any time soon, with temperatures expected to remain in the high 20s for much of the country this week, Ngamanu said.
Aucklanders can expect temperatures reaching for 25C until Thursday, with light showers on Wednesday and Thursday.
Wellington's looking a little cooler, with a forecasted high of 23C on Monday and the temperature cooling down to 19C on Wednesday as showers hit the capital.
The temperature is expected to soar to 27C on Tuesday in Christchurch, but dipping down to as low as 14C with rain on Wednesday.
Next week will bring more potential rainfall as another front moves onto the country, Ngamanu said.
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