Your weather: More heat on the way after whopping 38C in Gisborne

Today is set to be another cracker for most of New Zealand as a blast of hot, tropical air makes its way across the country.

The scorching temperatures recorded on Friday are expected to take a slight dip today, before rising once again on Sunday.

Yesterday, Gisborne cracked a whopping 38.2C - the hottest the east coast city has been since 1940 and the country's fifth warmest January temperature ever, according to Niwa.

MetService's station had it slightly cooler, reaching 37.1C at 3pm.

And it was scorching across the North Island's east coast, where Whangārei, Tauranga, Napier and Masterton all reached the high 20s to low 30s.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said today would be slightly cooler.

The top spots are expected to be Tauranga and Blenheim, both on track for 32C.

Northland, central Waikato and the Bay of Plenty are all expected to hover around the late 20s to early 30s, and the east coasts of both main islands would also have glorious summer weather.

Provisionally, Gisborne's 38.2 degrees is New Zealand's 5th warmest January temperature on record.

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 31, 2020

Auckland is in for a fine Saturday with plenty of sunshine and a high of 26C.

On Sunday, temperatures are expected to ramp up once more; Gisborne, Napier and Hastings are all expected to soar well into the mid 30s, and Northland and the Bay of Plenty into the low 30s.

The South Island's east coast is also in for a cracker Sunday, when the mercury will reach the low to mid 30s from Blenheim to Canterbury.

Behind the mid-summer spike was a northwest flow, drawing hot and humid air from the Australian continent, Makgabutlane said.

The warm temperatures are expected to last until about Tuesday, particularly for eastern areas.

For those not so comfortable in the heat there looks to be little respite, as overnight temperatures continue to be warm, especially in Auckland.

31 January 2020: warmest day of summer (so far)

31 January 2019: warmest day last summer

30 January 2018: warmest day two summers ago

Anyone have a prediction for next year? 😉

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 31, 2020

On Sunday, Auckland can expect a low of 20C overnight, while Wellington's Saturday high will be 23C.

Not everyone is in on the summer fun, though. A front landing in the West Coast of the South Island tonight will bring persistent rain, and continue into next week.

The front was expected to be concentrated about Fiordland and Westland, with potentially a small amount of rain hitting the North Island on Monday, Makgabutlane said.

The hot and dry conditions throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions have also prompted a warning for drivers to be wary of summer ice.

During long dry spells, dust, dirt and other materials build up on a road's surface and when it rains, the surface becomes greasy.

Even small amounts of rain after several days of dry weather could trigger summer ice, NZ Transport Agency spokesman Rob Campbell said.

"We advise anyone who is driving in the rain or on a damp road at this time of year to take extreme care," he said.

"The slippery film on the surface of the road is invisible, so don't assume it's not there just because you can't see it.

"We ask that drivers keep safe in these conditions by increasing their following distances, reducing their speeds and taking extra care."