MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said Otago should have its the hottest day of this summer today, Alexandra expected to hit 32°C.
The previous two hottest days of the year were earlier this month — December 3 and 18.
Holiday hotspots such as Wanaka were forecast to hit 30°C thanks to a ‘‘pre-frontal northerly flow’’, Mr Bellam said.
This is a turnaround from the wet buildup to Christmas Day when the high was 20.2°C and Wānaka received 4.2mm of rain.
Dunedin’s temperature has mostly remained below 20°C and it has had two days of more than 20mm of rain.
Mr Bellam said a southerly wind was expected to cool temperatures on Monday and Tuesday — the last two days of the year.
However, it would be warm again for New Year’s Eve.
‘‘You’re getting a glancing blow as far as the rest of the country goes.’’
It should be great weather for any festival-goers at Rhythm & Alps in the Cardrona Valley on December 30 and 31, he said.
‘‘It’s setting up nicely for New Year’s and the first few days of the year.’’
Apart from a few showers in Gore and Invercargill, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day should be nice and warm in the southern regions as the predicted showers would not be strong and there would not be a lot of them, he said.
