MetService has issued heat alerts for Nelson, Blenheim and Napier as temperatures remain high in parts of the country.
“The temperature is forecast to be very hot for this location,” messages on the MetService website read.
“We advise you to keep hydrated, seek shade, check in with vulnerable people and look after your pets and livestock.”
Using 20 years of data, meteorologists have picked a threshold for 46 locations across the country, with the alert triggered if the mercury spikes.
NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino said the warm weather may last, particularly for the North Island, right through the weekend and perhaps even into next week. (Source: 1News)
They were designed to help Kiwis plan and prepare for hot conditions.
The temperature in Napier was expected to peak at 29C today, 31C in Blenheim and 28C in Nelson.
Yesterday, NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino told Breakfast that the hot conditions, on the back of warm airflow coming from Australia, could continue into next week.
Tomorrow could be the hottest day — with some places potentially reaching the mid-30s.
Fire restrictions in Hawke’s Bay
In a media update today, Fire and Emergency said three-quarters of Hawke’s Bay was now in a restricted or prohibited fire season.
Hawke’s Bay District Manager Glen Varcoe said the extra restrictions were required because areas were drying out faster in the hot, dry, and windy weather, and the number of fires was increasing.
“Fire and Emergency has responded to 27 vegetation fire call-outs in the last 30 days in Heretaunga-Ahuriri alone,” he said.
“Last week, we cancelled fire permits issued to applicants in the Heretaunga-Ahuriri area because weather conditions had changed, and we could see the fire risk increasing rapidly. Now we are prohibiting open-air fires in this area to prevent further incidents.”
During a prohibited fire season, open-air fires were banned. Only gas or charcoal barbecues could be used.
A restricted season meant people had to apply for permits to light fires, and they must meet requirements to keep those fires under control.
As of 8am, the Heretaunga-Ahuriri area has moved to a prohibited fire season, and Wairoa Inland, Tukituki East, Pōrangahau, and the southern Hawke’s Bay coast have moved to a restricted fire season.
This was in addition to Wairoa Coast, Esk-Tutaekuri, and Tukituki West, which went into restricted fire seasons last month.
The zones which remained in an open fire season until further notice were: Te Haroto, Tararua West, Tararua Central, Tararua East, Tararua South, Pahiatua, and Eketāhuna.
Heavy rain, strong winds
Meanwhile, heavy rain was set to hit parts of the South Island, and strong winds in parts of both islands.
An orange heavy rain warning was issued for the ranges of the Westland District from 3pm today for 12 hours, and heavy rain watch for parts of Fiordland for eight hours from 1pm.
A strong wind watch was in place for Dunedin, Clutha, southern Southland and Stewart Island from 11pm today until 8pm tomorrow.
A strong wind watch for Hawke’s Bay, south of Hastings, and Wairarapa ended this morning, but a new one wouldl be in place for those areas, plus the Tararua District, for eight hours from 1am tomorrow.
