Heat is on ...until Auckland's holiday is due to start

From left, Precious Amete, 14, Agasa Manase, 15, and Nellane Taito, 13, play a bit of rugby in the Mission Bay fountain. Photo / Nick Reed

A lingering high again delivered perfect beach weather to much of the upper North Island yesterday - but sun lovers may not get the same luck over Anniversary Weekend.

Auckland basked in heat that hit 27C yesterday, with the warm weather also gracing Whangarei (27C) Whitianga (27C), Tauranga (28C), Hamilton (26C), Taupo, (26C) and Napier (28C).

At Christchurch, the mercury reached a national maximum of 30C, but showers in the lower South Island and lower North Island dampened an otherwise fine day for the country.

This week most places are forecast to receive dry and settled weather.

"We've got a ridge of high pressure which will be spreading over the country late Tuesday - and that's going to persist for several days," said MetService meteorologist Emma Blades.

The ridge is expected to spread on to central New Zealand on Wednesday, then remain slow-moving east of New Zealand during Thursday and Friday.

But according to MetService modelling, rain or showers are forecast for most of the places marking Auckland Anniversary Weekend.

"Although it's quite possible that could change - people should keep checking the MetService website as we get closer to the weekend."

WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said although the picture for the long weekend appeared "messy", people should not be putting off outdoor plans.

"It's a very tricky forecast to completely lock in, but it does look as though there's a chance of rain on Sunday. We are seeing more drier than wet weather for the long weekend - especially if you are south of Auckland."

The weather has pushed soil conditions in many parts of the country to extreme levels of dryness, according to the latest Niwa data.

Anniversary Weekend forecast

Auckland:

Saturday to Monday: showers with northeasterlies, daily highs 24C.

Whangarei:

Saturday and Sunday, showers with northeasterlies, daily highs 24C, Monday, showers with little wind and 26C high.

Tauranga:

Saturday, showers with northeasterlies, 25C high. Sunday to Monday, showers with light winds, high 26C.

Hamilton:

Saturday, showers with little wind, 27C high. Sunday to Monday, showers with little or light wind, highs 28C and 27C respectively.

Extended forecast based on modelling and may improve later this week. Source: MetService

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