Paddleboards are popular, gelato rolling is ramping up and tempers are flaring in the jostle for a beachside carpark as a scorching weekend approaches.
Tauranga temperatures are expected to hit 28C on Friday and 30C on Saturday and Sunday.
It is among several areas forecast to crack 30C, with Hastings in Hawke’s Bay set to sizzle in 37C on Sunday.
MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said a run of hot weather was expected in the Bay of Plenty over the coming days.
“This is as a very warm mass of air from Australia makes its way over the country, and high pressure keeps things fairly settled over the upper parts of the North Island.”
MetService was likely to issue heat alerts, Makgabutlane said.
Tauranga’s hottest recorded day was 33.7 on January 11, 1983.
The Bay of Plenty Times hit Mount Maunganui Main Beach to see how locals and holidaymakers were faring and preparing for the mercury to rise.
Apart from a tense exchange of gestures witnessed between two drivers angling for the same carpark on packed Marine Parade, people were in good spirits.
Mauao Adventures paddleboard instructor Oceanna Skudder-Preston said she had her “best day” on Wednesday as the sun “finally” came out.
“I served about 31 participants, and that was a minimum of one hour on the water (per participant), so I was pumping.”
Hotter days were “for sure” busier for the business, which would be “gazebo to gazebo” with other operators and beachgoers at Pilot Bay.
“That’s how packed it can be, and, truth be told, a lot of people, when they go out paddleboarding, most of the time they’re spending in the water to cool down.”
Campers at Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park John Slade and Lynne Pratley said they were “well-prepared” for the rising temperatures.
“It does get a bit muggy, but there’s ventilation on the top of our caravan,” Slade said.
He said when the awning was closed, however, the caravan could get extremely warm.
“It’d be more than 30 degrees if it’s during hot weather like this, so we’re just making sure that it’s open with air flowing through.”
Slade had been camping at the Mount Maunganui ground for 40 years and said it was a beautiful spot.
“I don’t see the point in putting it [the caravan] anywhere else because where could you go that’s going to be better than this?”
Monte Gelato employee Trinity O’Callaghan said incoming hot weather meant the Marine Parade shop would be “insanely” busy.
“Like, lines going out the door.”
She said that, in 30C temperatures, the store could see 1000 to 2000 people in a day.
“It’s mad, and we make a lot more than usual … as soon as one flavour runs out, there’s another one straight in there.”
Among beachgoers hitting the sand with boogie boards in hand were Autumn Morrish and her 12-year-old twin daughters, Charlie and Layla Morrish.
The family, who were visiting from the South Island for summer, said they would be coping with the heat by swimming at the beach.
“We are going to the beach as much as we can because we don’t have a nice beach in Christchurch, and the water is warmer here,” Autumn said.
To cool down, Charlie said she would be eating plenty of ice creams and Layla was set on a lemonade ice block.
“I’ll have a cold wine,” Autumn said.
According to MetService, the high temperatures are expected to ease off next week, with rain forecast for Monday afternoon.
Kaitlyn Morrell is a journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.