The hottest temperature in New Zealand in January last year was 32.4C in Bay of Plenty town Kawerau, and in January 2024 the hottest was 35.1C in Hanmer Forest in the South Island, while Hastings recorded the hottest temperature in Hawke’s Bay with 33.6C.
The top temperature in Hawke’s Bay in January 2020 – the season of the Australian fires and the month of a major fire in the Tangoio area north of Napier – was 36.3C, in Wairoa.
Long-range forecasts have daily maximum temperatures above 25C in Hawke’s Bay continuing next week, including for the Super Smash Twenty20 men’s and women’s double-headers with 2.10pm starts at McLean Park, Napier, and heading into the big annual event in the northern area, the Wairoa A&P Show on January 16-17.
Temperatures in Hawke’s Bay on Tuesday afternoon were peaking around 25C.
Hawke’s Bay is in a prohibited fire season, with a ban on the lighting of fires in open spaces, and warnings have been made about the risk of ignition of dry vegetation from machinery and vehicles.
Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter based in Napier, with almost 53 years in the news game, covering most aspects of local and regional news.