Warmer days ahead for Hawke's Bay

Fun in the water, L-R Stella Cotter 4 and sister Charlie Cotter 3 in the fountain near Marineland of NZ, Marine Parade, Napier. Weather. 21 November 2016. Hawke's Bay Today photograph by Warren Buckla

Beachgoers and grape-growers are amongst those who will benefit from warmer weather in the coming week.

Temperatures are expected range from mid to high 20Cs this week, with Wednesday peaking at 29C.

Federated Farmers Hawkes Bay Provincial President Will Foley said the upcoming warmer weather would be quite a change from the "colder and duller" climate of recent weeks.

Mr Foley said the warm forecast wouldn't be cause for concern for local farmers, who have received normal to above average rainfall recently.

As well as hay making and planting crops, Mr Foley hopes the warmer weather will help the growth of lambs.

"Lambs have been slow growing which means that they are too small to go to the works so the 'kill schedule' is behind," he said.

This could lead to farmers cramming the kill closer to Christmas, putting pressure on seasonal staff and lowering the lamb prices.

Early lambing in Hawke's Bay typically begins between July and August on lower country, with later lambing finishing between early November and Christmas.

With the lambing prices dependent on the time in the season, Mr Foley said farmers would be happy for the chance for lambs to grow faster.

Grape-growers are also amongst those who will reap the benefits of this week's heat.

The vice-chairman of the Hawkes' Bay Wine Growers Association, Xan Harding, said this week's forecast was, in a word, "fantastic".

As a grape-grower, Mr Harding said the beginning of this season's flowering should set growers up for good pollination and low disease levels.

"Soil moisture for crops is currently good, and there is nothing extra that grape-growers will need to do in preparation for this Wednesday," he said.

MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn confirmed that temperatures this week would range between mid to high 20Cs this week, with tomorrow set to peak at 29C.

Ms Flynn said these increasing temperatures were a result of northwesterly winds blowing across the ranges, causing the air to dry and warm.

"We're approaching summer, days are getting longer and we have these northwesterly winds so things are lining up for warmer days," she said.

Hawke's Bay's soaring temperatures brings an increased risk of skin cancer.

Locals are encouraged to take note of SunSmart messages and take care of themselves and their whanau in the approaching hot days.

The Cancer Society's "Slip, Slop, Slap Wrap" message encourages those spending time in the sun to "slip" on a shirt, "slop" on sunscreen, "slap" on a hat and "wrap" on some sunglasses.

The society says more than 300 New Zealanders die from skin cancer every year; two-thirds of them from melanoma.