Hawke’s Bay hits 37degC

WELLINGTON: Parts of Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough shared yesterday’s top honours for the hottest places in the country, nudging up and over the mid30 degree mark.

The heatwave is being powered by hot air flowing over the warmerthanusual Tasman Sea and unloaded aboveaverage temperatures throughout New Zealand.

Napier and Hastings took honours yesterday with tem peratures as hot as 37degC, while 36degC was recorded in the Marlborough Sounds.

WeatherWatch NZ analyst Philip Duncan said the higher temperatures were recorded in sheltered areas, not across the whole region.

The warm air mass is forecast to stick around until Thursday, before a front moves up the country on Friday, bringing cooler temperatures.