• Temperatures are set to soar as a warm air mass from Australia sweeps New Zealand. 
• Some South Island areas could see temperatures rise to nearly 30C. 
• The West Coast, however, is expecting heavy rain, with 200-300mm forecasted by Friday night. 

New Zealand is in for an early taste of summer as a warm air mass from Australia sweeps across the country, pushing temperatures to unseasonably high levels for many regions. 

Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino said parts of the country were looking at “pretty impressive” warmth, and some South Island areas could see temperatures soar to nearly 30C by Thursday and Friday. 

The question is, will your area feel the heat? 

The warmest spots are expected in eastern and interior South Island regions, including Canterbury and Otago. 

“I hope you like summer - we’re going to get a taste of summer over the next three to four days,” Brandolino said in a Niwa video. 

Ashburton and Christchurch could see temperatures spike to 28C, with areas like Gore reaching 22C - several degrees above the November average highs. 

“Temperatures will be around 8-10C higher than usual for this time of year,” said Brandolino. 

Meanwhile, the North Island will see slightly milder, yet still warm, conditions with highs in the low to mid-20s for Hamilton, Auckland and Northland, and similar temperatures in Hawke’s Bay. 

Coastal and eastern areas of both islands are likely to experience the most summer-like conditions. 

With gusty northwest winds of up to 70km/h expected, Canterbury and Otago face elevated fire risks, as humidity drops to around 40% in these areas. 

Residents in Canterbury are advised to remain vigilant and monitor any fire warnings from Fire and Emergency New Zealand. 

“You’re going to want to check it’s all right before you light.” 

For the West Coast, it’s a different story, with heavy rain anticipated from Thursday evening into Friday. 

A rain band moving eastward will bring significant rainfall to Fiordland, Mt Aspiring, and other mountainous areas, with some locations expecting between 200-300mm of rain by Friday night. 

“There’s going to be some heavy rain, so you’re going to want to stay on top of the forecast. Check the latest warnings from MetService and look at the rainfall forecast ... These are some pretty beefy amounts of rain,” Brandolino said.