KEY POINTS:
Well it's been a bit of a cooler week this week but the heat roared back yesterday with a number of places reaching 30 or the upper 20s right across the country. Even Aucklanders enjoyed temperatures around 27/28. A large high has moved in from the
west and will anchor itself over the North Island.
That's going to allow for some pretty hot and sunny weather for the North Island and help create strong or breezy northerlies over the lower NI and eastern SI.
Temperatures over the next few days are going to climb back up and the overnight lows will lift too - in fact quite a few people have told me they found the nights cold this week - and that was all due to that low pressure system and cold front that passed over last weekend.
This high is in for the long haul and may well stick around for some time. That's not good news for dry farms in the east but it's great news for those wanting to get outside and enjoy summer. We're now going into the hottest part of summer with the weather patterns not likely to change for another 6 to 8 weeks. Then Autumn starts.
Of course this weekend is Auckland Anniversary weekend - and for the other regions I'm sorry if I missed talking about the weather for your long weekends. Being Auckland-based I need to read a NZ calendar and figure out when the other anniversary weekends are too!! It slipped my mind this year - but I'll be better organised next Summer!
Anyway this weekend is looking hot and sunny for those enjoying the 3 day weekend. Remember you can check out our new and completely independent Auckland weather forecasts here.
They've been up and running for a couple of weeks now and I've been very happy with their accuracy. Temperatures over the top half of the North Island will be in the mid to late 20s for the next 3 days at least.
Of course in Taupo the A1GP kicks off today and goes through until Sunday. The weather forecast looks great and it's going to be a scorcher. Temperatures on the track are likely to be well into the 40s with the air temperature around the track probably into the 30s. Taupo's official high will probably only be in the upper 20s - but remember that's taken over grass and won't represent those who are sitting next to black tarseal under mostly sunny skies!
Remember the burn times - the sun is fierce at the moment and so too is the UV radiation that leads to skin cancer. Remember it's not about how hot it is - it's about how much radiation is coming through our atmosphere - and at the moment it's extreme.
Photo: The weather forecast for this weekend's A1GP in Taupo is looking great. Photo / Paul Estcourt