Hot weather continues in the Bay of Plenty this week as temperatures rise

Hot weather is on the menu for the Bay of Plenty. Photo / Getty

The mercury continues to rise in the Bay of Plenty this week with mostly fine weather forecast for the region.

Temperatures in the Bay are set to be in the mid to high 20s peaking at 28C on Friday and Saturday in Tauranga.

Last week a piping hot 28C was the hottest temperature Tauranga had experienced all summer.

MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes said the temperatures were not unseasonal.

"We have a ridge dominating the Bay of Plenty this week, so the weather is going to be fine for most areas with morning and evening cloud.

"Given the warm temperatures at the surface, we will see isolated afternoon and evening showers for inland areas. That won't affect the Tauranga area but Rotorua will be slightly more exposed."

Ka tohu huarere i tēnei wiki - this week's weather forecast...
Mostly ☀ with a bit of ⛅ for most of Aotearoa. But some eastern areas in Te Ika-a-Māui (the North Island) will see ☁ and maybe some 🌧 later this week.
Full details at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz
^Tui pic.twitter.com/VcojmXURbe

— MetService (@MetService) January 10, 2021

Today's high is about 27C in Tauranga, Parkes said, and it'll be 27C again on Thursday, kicking up to 28C on Friday.

Rotorua is slightly cooler with a high of 26C on Friday.

There won't be much reprieve from the sticky nights either with temperatures hovering in the late teens, Parkes says.

"The overnight lows are sitting in the mid to high teens, so it is warm overnight but not unexpectedly warm for the Bay of Plenty."

From Parkes' perspective it was not uncommon to reach temperatures in the 30s in the Bay of Plenty, but there were no days forecasted yet.

"Especially for the Bay of Plenty, which is generally quite a warm area it wouldn't be unexpected.

"We're getting towards the middle of summer so I would say it would become more likely, especially with this ridge over the North Island."