Scorching 30C forecast as dry stretch continues

Ngaruroro River water levels are as shown here at the Chesterhope Bridge. Photo / Paul Taylor

A weekend of hot and dry weather ahead may prove ideal for beachgoers, but Hawke's Bay is "desperate" for rain, forecasters say.

MetService meteorologist John Law said today would be fine with light northeasterly winds with a high of 26C.

Recent dry weather would continue this weekend, with long fine spells, sea breezes and showers about the ranges.

"If you head down to the beach in Napier, you might find a slight sea breeze, but nothing major."

A daytime high of 28C was forecast for tomorrow, with Sunday reaching up to 30C.

"By the weekend it will be back to those northwesterlies, which will really ramp our temperatures up. It's a dry weekend, it's a fine weekend, but it's not going to offer any rain for people who want it."

Hawke's Bay was "getting desperate" for rain, having received only 2mm this year.

The last significant rainfall in the region was the 18mm that fell on December 17 last year.

A spell of dry weather has put the region's waterways under pressure, with water restrictions in force for much of the Bay.

A Hawke's Bay Regional Council spokeswoman said staff were monitoring the dry conditions.

Rainfall had been "near normal" for December on average throughout the region.

However, some parts of the region had seen little rain, or none at all, for four weeks or more.

"Soil moisture levels are low, which is evidenced by the dry, brown hillsides around the region.

"There would need to be approximately 75mm of rain to get pasture growth starting again."

Aquifer levels were also dropping and "are already low in some areas".

"River flows have been below normal for three months or more for most of the region's rivers."

A little rainfall in the ranges had been some help by boosting flows into the headwaters of the main rivers.

Council air-quality and climate scientist Kathleen Kozyniak said a further three weeks without significant rainfall could indicate impending drought.