Spring heatwave continues today with highest temps expected in eastern NZ

The spring heatwave that brought near-record temperatures to much of New Zealand over the weekend is tipped to continue today, with only slightly cooler weather in most places.

Temperatures hit 34.5C in Kawerau and 31C in Christchurch and Ashburton yesterday, close to the country's hottest ever November day of 35.6C recorded at Lake Coleridge in 1920.

Today's temperatures are expected to moderate only slightly, with Hastings and Ashburton still tipped to peak at 28C this afternoon.

Here are how the maximum temperatures are looking around Aotearoa out to Wednesday. The large high over the Tasman sea...

Posted by MetService New Zealand on Saturday, 2 November 2019

MetService meteorologist Tahlia Crabtree said the intense high pressure system lying over most of the country was moving only very slowly eastwards.

"It's going to be another fine day - not as warm as yesterday, but it's looking very nice," she said.

The forecast is fine and warm weather for the whole country, apart from isolated afternoon showers in the Gisborne and Hawke's Bay ranges, patchy drizzle in Westland and rain tonight in Fiordland.

The cold front that will bring rain to Fiordland tonight will gradually bring temperatures back down to normal for this time of the year through the rest of this week, bringing rain to the West Coast tomorrow, scattered rain to the eastern side of the south on Wednesday and rain to much of the North Island on Thursday.

Rotorua's Archy Tuakanakore cools off at the Tarawera Landing on Sunday. Photo / Andrew Warner, Daily Post

But it will stay warm, with maximum temperatures all week not falling below 25C in Hastings, 24C in Gisborne and 21C in Auckland.

"We are definitely moving into those generally summer temperatures - nothing dropping as low as the earlier spring," Crabtree said.

"The temperatures for the rest of the week are your average temperatures, nothing out of the ordinary."

Although the cold front will bring rain, there won't be a lot of it.

"We are probably just going to be a little bit showery throughout the week through Friday," Crabtree said.

"The West Coast will get more rain with the front moving over them, as they usually do. The North Island is still looking warmer for the next few days."