Warm air from Australia driving up temperatures in Northland

Northland's beaches are among the favourite places to cool off at during hot days this summer. Photo/Tania Whyte

If you thought Saturday was a scorcher you were right.

According to MetService, Kerikeri was the hottest place in Northland with the mercury hitting 30.5C which was just 0.2C below the highest temperature recorded in that town so far this summer.

MetService meteorologist Kyle Lee confirmed the summer's high for Northland was 30.7C, recorded at Kerikeri Airport on January 6.

The highest recorded temperature in New Zealand so far this summer was 33.2C at Blenheim airport the same day.

Lee said warm air flow from Australia's east coast, where temperatures hit low to mid 40s, ahead of a front resulted in a hot and sticky day in Northland on Saturday.

Another front causing strong south westerlies would drive temperatures down to the mid 20s in Northland today and tomorrow before they climbed back up to the high 20s from Wednesday due to more warm air from Australia, he said.

Kerikeri is expected to hit 28C on Wednesday and is again likely to be the hottest place in Northland.

"The high temperatures in Kerikeri is because the place is further offshore and sheltered.
It's also a lot flatter than other parts of Northland. Generally, the east coast of New Zealand is a little bit warmer," Lee said.

Rain is forecast for most parts of Northland on Thursday.