Temperatures could exceed 30°C as the weekend approaches.
Photo: Camilla Rutherford / 100% Pure New Zealand

A “taste of summer” is on the way, especially for those living in the east of the country, according to the latest forecast.

Temperatures could rise above 30C heading into the weekend thanks to an Australian heatwave sweeping across Tasmania.

The state of Victoria was already experiencing temperatures “between 6 and 16°C above average for early November”, ABC News reportedas officials enacted a statewide total fire ban.

“For Victoria we will see temperatures between 30 and 40C, even 40C for northern Victoria,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathan How said. “And then for New South Wales, we’ll see temperatures particularly west of the divide rise to between 30 and 40 degrees.”

A NIWA weather forecast map, taken from a YouTube screenshot, shows high temperatures in the upper North Island.
Photo: NIWA

Here at our lower latitudes, this will result in unseasonably warm weather.

“We’re going to get a taste of summer for the rest of this week and for much of the country, even over the weekend… and it’s coming from Australia,” said NIWA forecaster Chris Brandolina , in a video update.

While Canterbury got off to a fairly mild start on Thursday, Brandolino said they would “increase quite substantially” as the day went on.

“By midday we could see temperatures in the mid-20s near Ashburton, even in parts of inland Otago.

“Check out places like Gore, 22C around noon. Look, the average high temperatures in that area range from 16 to 19 – those are the average high temperatures in the month of November, so we’re going to be well above that. We’re talking in some cases eight, nine, 10 degrees or more above average – and it’s warmer during the day.”

Ashburton could reach 28°C, and others could even tip to 30°C: “Rangiora towards Kurow, towards Fairlie – much, I suppose, of the inner parts of the interior – well, Canterbury and the South Island to Otago, Alexandra in the mid 20s, Tapanui could also be in the mid 20s, Gore in the mid to mid 20s, so pretty impressive stuff.”

It gets warmer as the week goes on

Inland parts of the lower South Island will be the hottest in the country this afternoon

Even cloudy or humid places in the North Island will be relatively warm today

Tomorrow, northerly winds will bring warmer weather,… pic.twitter.com/3Sbdo4cGbk

– MetService (@MetService) November 5, 2024

In the North Island, Brandolino said it would be “a warm day, but not as hot”, with low temperatures of 20C for Hamilton, Auckland and Northland, as well as Hawke’s Bay.

On Friday, “very hot temperatures are expected both in the east and east of the north and east of the South Island.”

“It’s midday and we’re talking 27, 26C in Christchurch, north Canterbury, east of Culverton, in and around Kaikoura, pretty warm temperatures. We could see temperatures approaching or exceeding 30 °C in this part of the country during the day on Thursday and even Friday…

“Areas further south, like Gore and inner Otago, probably won’t be as warm. We’re seeing still mild temperatures, temperatures above 20C in there, but definitely a good six , seven, eight degrees cooler Friday in Gore than Thursday.

“For the North Island, it will be the eastern parts of the North Island that will have the warmest temperatures – you can see towards Wairoa, Napier… we will find low temperatures, maybe in the middle of 20s.

“It looks like the hottest temperatures on Friday will be over the eastern South Island. But I’m not ruling out some areas getting closer to 3°C. So even if 30°C is possible at the east of the north and east of the South Island, it might be a little more likely for the east of the South Island.

The hot weather will continue until Sunday, he explained.

“You can see temperatures on Sunday and in parts of the North Island, as well as Hawke’s Bay into the 20s. Meanwhile, much cooler air is expected for the day on Sunday, for the South Island. Your temperatures will therefore drop.

And with this drop will come the rain, he said.

“It looks like there will be heavy rain Thursday night and Friday…we’re seeing this band of rain coming from Australia, areas of low pressure…

“If you are planning to be in the national parks on Friday – Fiordland National Park, Westland, Tai Poutini, maybe towards Arthur’s Pass, Aoraki Mt Cook, Mt Aspiring, there is going to be heavy rain. You will I want to stay up to date with the forecast, check the latest warnings from MetService and watch the rainfall forecast…those are pretty significant amounts.

Fire and Emergency NZ has banned fireworks in parts of Southland in response to the changing weather.

“Even though it has been extremely wet in the Southland, things are starting to dry out,” district manager Julian Tohiariki said earlier this week. “The weather forecast for Thursday and Friday calls for temperatures in the 20s with possible strong winds.”

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