Near record temperatures, beach days - great weather on cards south of Auckland

Spring is about to end on a summery note for much of the country with temperatures tipping 30C set to scorch regions for days on end.

Despite November beginning on a wintry note across the South Island, coming weeks will see the extreme opposite with virtually no rain and sizzling hot temperatures.

Niwa today tweeted that a "very impressive" La Nina-driven dome of high pressure would plant itself over the South Island and bottom half of the North Island for the rest of the month.

As a result there was potential for near-record heat in the south and early beach days as spring ended on a dry note for everywhere south of Auckland.

A very impressive, #LaNiña-driven, dome of high pressure is forecast to persist over the South Island & central-lower North Island for much of the rest of November.

Potential for:

🌵Building dryness, especially south.
🌡️Near-record heat in the south.
🌊Early beach days. pic.twitter.com/mpVZElOmVy

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 12, 2017

Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino said significantly warmer temperatures were expected across the South Island in the second half of the month.

Temperatures were expected to reach near or above 30C in some parts.

"Maximum temperatures could be towards the end of the week and over the next week we're looking at 10 to 15C above average for the South Island," he said.

"This time next week that's when I think the conversation really starts to heat up."

He described it as unusual warmth that had meteorologists concerned given the lack of rain.

At this time of year successive long, hot days of dry weather threatened to have a severe impact on the agricultural sector, he said.

While parts of coastal South Island had enjoyed good rainfall in recent weeks other inland areas were potentially more vulnerable.

In Niwa's latest three-monthly outlook the West Coast, inland Otago and Southland were expected to have temperatures above average and below normal rainfall.