KEY POINTS:
Much of the country is set to keep basking in hot temperatures over the next couple of days with popular North Island holidays spots staying in the mid to high 20s and parts of the South Island in the low 30s.
In Christchurch yesterday the mercury reached 32C but there were reports of 37C in the city.
Auckland has enjoyed a run of sunny days since the weekend and the fine spell is expected to continue to the weekend.
It is the same story in the Coromandel and Taupo, but Northland and Tauranga can expect some cloud and drizzle today, turning to showers tomorrow.
WeatherWatch.co.nz weather analyst Philip Duncan put the good weather down to a high-pressure system battling a low-pressure one over the Southern Ocean.
Strong nor'westerlies would spread across the usual places, while inland in the North Island light winds would mean that heat would not blow away, he said.
Mr Duncan said the good run was likely to come to an end at the weekend when a large low forming north of New Zealand could deliver heavy rain, and possibly gales, to northern and northeastern New Zealand.
Across the Tasman, Sydneysiders have been sweltering in temperatures of up to 43C in the western suburbs and there are bushfires across New South Wales.
Farther afield, Britons are freezing with temperatures plunging this week to minus 11C in parts of Scotland.
