Temperatures soar over 30C in Whangarei and Napier despite overcast weather for many

Kiwis found ways to keep cool as temperatures rose over 30C in some places. Photo/Brett Phibbs

It might not have been sunny today but high temperatures still got people hot under the collar.

Temperatures soared to the early 30s in some parts of the country. Whangarei and Napier had a high of 31C while Blenheim, Mahia, Cheviot and Wairoa reached 30C.

MetService meteorologist Sarah Sparks said the coolest places were Arthur's Pass and Milford Sound with a high of 16C and Hokitika on 17C.

Sparks said the heavy rain warning for Tararua Ranges and Mt Taranaki plus the strong wind warning for Wellington had now been lifted.

Just a heavy rain warning for Fiordland tomorrow remains. MetService reported that between 9am and midnight tomorrow 80 to 120mm of rain may accumulate. The heavy rain could continue into Tuesday, with peak intensities of 15 to 20mm an hour.

A severe weather watch for heavy rain is in place for Franz Josef, Tararua District, Hawkes Bay, Coastal Southland and Stewart Islands. The watch lasts until midnight tomorrow.

The beginning of the week is looking bright and sunny for most places over the country.

The weather is expected to settle down by midnight, and tomorrow is expected to be mostly fine, with a few isolated showers in the west of the North Island and possibly a few patchy showers in the South Island's west.

Sparks said most of the northern and west North Island will see showers tomorrow followed by fine spells

"Tomorrow is looking a bit sunnier for at least the North Island."

But the South Island is going to cop some heavy rain along the west coast. The east coast will see mostly fine weather.

Tuesday would see cloudy periods in the west of the North Island but fine in the east, and the South Island would continue to get rain over its west coast.

But then it may be time to batten down the hatches again.

On Wednesday, a front similar to this weekend's is expected to make itself known, with more unsettled weather to follow.