Dunedin temperature soars to record 35C

NZ Herald

16 Jan, 2018 02:47 AM3 mins to read

Dunedin hit 35C today as the South Island swelters in record-breaking heat. Photo / File

Dunedin has hit a sweltering 35C this afternoon making it the hottest day on record for the city.

According to the MetService, Dunedin airport reached a temperature of 35C at 3.12pm today making it the hottest day since records began in 1972. The previous record was set in 2004 at 34.6C.

It follows Invercargill into the record books after that city hit 32.3C on Sunday - the hottest temperature since measurements started in 1905.

Much of the South Island has been baking in hotter than usual summer conditions this month. A number of South Island spots reached more than 30C yesterday and a total fire ban has been put in place for Otago and Southland.

New Zealand's highest recorded temperature was 42.4C recorded at Rangiora on February 7, 1973.

Auckland's hottest recorded temperature is 32.4 on February 12, 2009, at Whenuapai Air Base, equalling a high recorded in the Auckland Domain in February 1872.

Dozens of spots on the South Island's West Coast had a record-warm start to January, as did much of the central and lower North Island.

But Auckland - and most of the North Island has stayed in the 20s, with blustery winds doing little to take away the humidity.

The winds will continue on Wednesday and Thursday morning, and will also impact coastal areas.

Weatherwatch.co.nz said big downpours were possible on Thursday afternoon in the upper North Island too with a potential for localised flooding. Wet weather would begin to ease by Friday.

The temperature is also set to fall in southern New Zealand over Wednesday and Thursday as clouds increase and patchy rain develops, the forecaster said. Heavier falls are due in the west and north of the South Island, bringing welcome relief for dry soils.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand rural regional manager Mike Grant said conditions had been incredibly dry in the south, and soil moisture levels were very low.

"We've had a few millimetres of rain here and there over the past six weeks, but the grass and vegetation is still tinder dry.

"That coupled with the extremely hot weather we've been having means the fire danger is really high. We had an unprecedented run of hot weather lately, certainly for Invercargill the heat has been record-breaking," Grant said.

A total fire ban remains in place for Gisborne, Horowhenua, Rangitikei and Marlborough.