KEY POINTS:
The sun will continue to shine on those still at the beach this week, says the MetService.
The weather agency is forecasting dry weather and daytime highs in the 20s for most places for the remnants of the school holidays.
"Our weather map is dominated this week by yet another lazy anticyclone," said MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt.
"These have become a feature of our summer weather. Palmerston North has had no rain at all since the wet interlude that hit the Tararua Ranges 20 days ago, and that's the longest dry period measured in any of our sensors this summer.
"Waikato had a long dry period lasting almost two weeks - just after Christmas."
It has been a hot summer with 17 out of 83 MetService weather stations measuring temperatures above 30C. Napier reached 32C last Tuesday while in the South Island, Timaru reached 35C twice during the second week of the year.
Auckland, by comparison, reached its highest January reading of 29C on the 19th - a trace shy of the 30C reached in the Auckland CBD during the blackout of 1998.
Temperatures in Auckland were expected to be in the mid-20s all week, said Mr McDavitt.
And there may be more to come, he said.
"People are reminded that, climatologically, the hottest days of the year are usually in early February."
A few weak fronts could bring some drizzle or showers in the south and west of the South Island.
"That's about it - the high pressures are continuing to keep the significant rain away. The front forecast for Fiordland on Friday is likely to be preceded by a strong gusty northwesterly flow that may bring hot dry gusty winds to the eastern parts on Thursday. Be aware that this will exacerbate the fire risk."
Mr McDavitt said February could be wetter than January, on the back of the La Nina phenomenon.
"The rain card is still in the deck and it's still to be dished out."
