Water temperatures in Northland to start plummeting

Warm temperatures saw hundreds flocking to Northland beaches so far but the water will start cooling from now. PHOTO/MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM

Store your swimming suits and goggles away until next summer as water temperatures in Northland start cooling from this weekend.

The warmer-than-usual water temperatures over summer saw hordes of people flock to their favourite swimming holes and a marine heatwave in November ensured Northland waters remained warmer for longer.

MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths said water temperatures of between 20C and 22C in Northland were 1C to 1.25C warmer than normal for summer.

The sea surface temperature in areas north of the Bay of Islands were closer to 22C, or 1.5C warmer than usual, she said.

"There's not a huge difference in water temperatures in different places around Northland but those temperatures will start dropping as we head into the weekend.

"A couple of decent bursts of southerlies next week will help cool water temperatures. Next week you'll see quite a changeable weather with those southerlies."

Ms Griffiths said a marine heatwave in November, coupled with sunny and warm weather and light winds, meant water temperatures in Northland were above normal.

"It takes a while to get rid of a heatwave. If it hadn't been for the heatwave, the water would still have been warm because of a lot of easterlies but not anywhere near as warm as it is now."

She said the daytime air temperatures in Northland today would be between 24C and 25C, dropping to between 22C and 23C over the weekend. Night temperatures will drop to about 15C.

Next week, they will plummet to between 12C and 13C during the day.

Long fine spells with light winds are forecast for Northland through to Sunday before turning to showers most of next week.

Ms Griffiths said Northland was lucky the water and air temperatures were still warm at this time of the year compared with parts of the South Island where it already felt like winter.

Up to 400 people flocked to some Northland beaches over the Easter weekend when the weather was generally sunny.