Temperatures set to soar
Timaru is expected to bask under scorching temperatures in the last week of the school holidays.
The town yesterday recorded a high of 24 degrees Celsius, but MetService forecaster Paul Ngamanu said this was just the beginning of the golden weather.
Timaru looking to hit 27C today, 33C tomorrow and 31C on Wednesday.
‘‘It’s caused by a big nor’ westerly flow coming from the Tasman Sea,’’ Ngamanu said yesterday.
‘‘It’s common that Timaru has settled, warm weather during this period of summer, but we are going to see big numbers before it starts to cool again.’’
‘‘On Thursday, we should see a cooler front emerge, and some rain and a temperature of about 16 degrees.’’ The warm weather comes just before school returns for the year with the first day of term one at the earliest on Monday, February 1.
Ngamanu said while it had been a largely warm January for Timaru, it had also been slightly wetter than normal, with 65mm of rain so far, compared to the monthly average of 54mm.
South Canterbury Federated Farmers president Jason Grant said the region had been in good shape over the past month.
‘‘We have had a good period.
There’s been a lot of rain, but there’s also been pretty settled weather,’’ Grant said.
‘‘I think South Canterbury has been as good as it ever has been.’’
Grant said the upcoming warm weather would be a bonus for arable farmers in particular, as their harvesting gets underway.
For Timaru, Fire and Emergency New Zealand has set the fire risk to ‘‘moderate’’.
A high over the north Tasman Sea extends a ridge over northern and central New Zealand. A front over the upper North Island moves off the country as another front slides east across the far south of the South Island. A ridge lies over most of New Zealand tomorrow, while a front approaches the far south. This front slowly moves over the lower half of the South Island on Wednesday, then up to the North Island on Thursday as it weakens considerably. A southwest flow follows behind the front Thursday and Friday.