Scorching weather to end for South Island, rain watches in place

Parts of New Zealand were warmer than the tropics today, as temperatures skyrocketed above 30 degrees in many places.

Metservice meteorologist Tuporo Marsters said that Hanmer Springs in Canterbury took the top spot at 34C.

Dunedin, Blenheim and Oxford also reached 31C, and heat alerts were in place for many places across the country.

Marsters said a warm northwesterly flow of air coming around from the tropics drove temperatures up.

On Sunday, the deep south is expected to cool off, but the North Island will be scorching still.

In the North Island, only Auckland was hit with a heat alert and forecast to reach levels of 28C.

An active front will bring brief heavy rain to the west of the South Island, as well as strong northwest winds to exposed parts of central and southern New Zealand, MetService said.

A heavy rain warning was in place for Fiordland, north of George Sound and Westland, south of Haast from 12am to 4pm on Sunday.

MetService said there could be up to 110 millimetres of rain on the ranges with peak rates of 15 to 25 mm per hour.

There were also multiple heavy rain watches in place, including for Fiordland south of George Sound, Westland between Haast and Otira, and the headwaters of the Otago Lakes and Rivers.

Meanwhile, there were also strong wind watches for Wairarapa, Wellington, Fiordland, Southland, Stewart Island and Clutha, and Canterbury High Country.

Other places in the South Island will also feel temperatures drop, MetService said.

• First published by RNZ