Summer heat continues in northern New Zealand, while South gets a reprieve

Kiwis in the north of the country are in store for another scorcher today, while parts of the South Island are expected to drop as much as 8C from their maximum temperature yesterday.

MetService forecasts Auckland to tip 27C later today, along with other northern hotspots of Rotorua, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Whangārei. Hamilton is expected to reach a high of 29C.

Here is the maximum temperatures expected tomorrow. Places in the South Island are expected to drop as much as 8C from their maximum temperature today. Christchurch and Ashburton expected to be 25C and 23C today respectively, dropping to 17C and 15C tomorrow. ^KL pic.twitter.com/1GwojYH1D0

— MetService (@MetService) January 5, 2022

It's been a week of sweltering temperatures for Taumarunui, which has had five days in a row in the 30s after recording 30.9C yesterday.

Other parts of the central north island have seen record temperatures, with Taupō yesterday recording its equal warmest January day since 1950 (a high of 33.2C), and Hamilton its second warmest since 1940 (31.4C).

Meanwhile in the South Island, Christchurch and Ashburton are heading for 17C and 15C respectively, a sharp drop from the 25C and 23C felt yesterday.

The capital is looking to a milder 18C today, also a cool change from 26C earlier in the week.

The central North Island with the clean sweep 🧹 of today's top five temps, along with several near-records for January.

🌡️Taupō: Equal-warmest Jan (records since 1950)
🌡️Taum: 4th-warmest (since 1947)
🌡️Te Kuiti: 2nd-warmest (since 1959)
🌡️Hamilton: 2nd-warmest (since 1940) pic.twitter.com/VTXBVamwKc

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 4, 2022

The top of the South is set for a warm 20C in Blenheim and 21C in Nelson, with a cold front bringing the risk of thunderstorm development over the Nelson ranges today.

There is also a low risk for severe thunderstorms in parts of the North Island.

Niwa reports that apart from locally heavy showers in parts of the North Island today, the country can expect little to no rainfall over the coming few days.

Yesterday some stores reported short supplies of items such as splash pools, fans, gazebos and chilly bins, after a rush on tools to help Kiwis beat the heat this Summer.

The Warehouse Newmarket said they had sold out of standing fans, gazebos and some splash pools two weeks before Christmas.