After basking in summer-like temperatures yesterday, it might pay to keep the umbrella handy across Hawke's Bay today as light rain threatens to put a slight dampener on the morning.
The mercury reached 28C and higher in places in Napier and Hastings yesterday, earning the cities the top temperatures in the country title, at odds with the onset of the usual signs of autumn creeping into the region.
An annual early autumn sight in Hawke's Bay is the grape harvest, with local winegrowers confident they are heading towards a fantastic vintage this year.
Harvesters were in full swing at Church Rd Winery's Redstone Vineyard yesterday, collecting merlot grapes potentially destined for more award-winning tipples.
Meanwhile, the day is set to be cooler and cloudy across the region today, with occasional light rain or drizzle clearing in the afternoon and southerlies turning northeasterly in the evening.