Rotorua weather man records over 30C temperature reading

The city reportedly got as hot as 31C yesterday, according to a local weather observer.

Last night's TVNZ weather bulletin reported the city's Sunday temperature at 24C, however, Springfield Weather Observations scientist Brian Holden has called this "nonsense" as he recorded 31C on his property.

Holden said yesterday was one of the hottest temperatures that many people would have felt in November for a long time.

Just one degree more and the city would have broken the record for hottest November day since 1995, he said.

He said temperatures over 30C were "extremely rare" for this time of year.

Metservice reported a high of 28C.

Read more:
• Warmer than usual November temperatures heat up the Bay
• Here comes the heat: Mercury rising fast over NZ

Metservice Meteorologist Claire Nickson said different temperature readings across cities came down to a range of factors.

The temperature gauge in Rotorua was based out at the airport, which runs next to Lake Rotorua. Nickson said this would be a key reason for the discrepancy.

She said gauges next to a large body of water or in open spaces where there may be more of a breeze were likely to measure lower temperatures.

Whereas suburban gauges that were near a lot of concrete and metal were more likely to show higher temperatures as these things absorb heat, she said.

Nonetheless, the city can celebrate that we have cracked 30C and summer was well and truly on the way.

FORECAST:

Today: Fine and warm with light winds. High of 27C, low of 10C.

Tomorrow: Fine with light winds. High of 25C, low of 10C.

Wednesday: Mainly fine. Light winds. High of 23C, low of 11C.