Bust out the beach balls and boogie boards - summer has arrived early for much of the country today.
But for some, the springtime scorcher today will be all too brief, with temperatures set to plunge overnight and into tomorrow.
Eastern parts of the South Island, most especially Canterbury, will feel the warmth of a norwester, with temperatures around 12C above average for October, MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said.
The Garden City is expected to reach 28C, along with Kaikōura, while Timaru and Ashburton can expect 27C, Dunedin 25C and Blenheim 24C.
Even Invercargill will feel the warmth of the foehn wind, with a forecast high today of 23C.
The city's average temperature for October is 14.5C.
Nina Barbezat, left, and Katie Longie enjoying the atmosphere at Taste Whanganui yesterday.
The North Island doesn't miss out - the eastern cities of Gisborne, Napier and Hastings will reach the mid-20s, and warm, humid conditions will keep temperatures in the upper North Island in the low 20s, Bellam said.
"It's quite humid across the top of the North Island, there's
settled start to Labour weekend yesterday, doesn't extend everywhere though.
Wind and rain warnings and watches are in place for parts of the western and southern South Island.
Fiordland can expect heavy rain from 3pm today, spreading to Westland and the Otago headwaters from 6pm and continuing into tomorrow. The Canterbury headwaters south of Arthurs Pass are also under a heavy rain watch from 1am tomorrow.
A strong wind warning has been issued from early this morning to 8am tomorrow in Canterbury's high country, with the norwester gusting up to 120km/h, and strong wind watches are also in place today for Otago and Southland.
And a wind change will spoil today's blast of heat, with the cold southerly change arriving in Dunedin from tonight, and moving up the island overnight and through tomorrow, Bellam said.
"There'll be quite a dramatic drop in temperature. For Christchurch the warmest part of [tomorrow] will be around midnight … and then it'll be the low teens for the east coast [of the South Island]."
With eastern regions of the South Island forecast afternoon temperatures 10C or more above their October average tomorrow the drop in temp with the cold front in the evening and during Monday will feel even more bitter (pun not intended!) More at https://t.co/hnwmGxU1gR ^AC pic.twitter.com/a9cybEQaRE
The northeasterly/northerly air flow, bringing humidity, low cloud and, in some places, afternoon showers, yesterday would continue today and tomorrow.
Aucklanders can expect a cloudy Sunday with isolated showers and high of 21C, with Labour Day cloudy and 22C.
Other North Island cities, including Tauranga, Hamilton and Whāngārei, could expect similar conditions, while Wellington will be drizzly with highs around 18C.
"It's just repeat. Yesterday, today and tomorrow."
