Kiwis in the north of the country are in store for another scorcher today, while parts of the South Island are expected to drop as much as 8C from their maximum temperature yesterday.
MetService forecasts Auckland to tip 27C later today, along with other northern hotspots of Rotorua, Tauranga, New Plymouth and Whangārei. Hamilton is expected to reach a high of 29C.
It's been a week of sweltering temperatures for Taumarunui, which has had five days in a row in the 30s after recording 30.9C yesterday.
Other parts of the central north island have seen record temperatures, with Taupō yesterday recording its equal warmest January day since 1950 (a high of 33.2C), and Hamilton its second warmest since 1940 (31.4C).