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Source: ONE News -
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Another scorching hot day in Canterbury has seen the temperature climb into the low 40s in some places.
The heatwave sent hundreds to beaches and pools and some firms closed early.
The sweltering weather which has seen temperatures across Christchurch in the mid-30s is caused by a ridge of high pressure coming from across the Tasman which has seen temperatures in Sydney soar to similar levels.
"It is fairly unusual, we're looking at the last sort of 30 or 40 years it happens maybe three or four times in that time," says MetService forecaster Allister Gorman.
The soaring temperatures sent hundreds of people to the beaches and pools but while that helped cool hot bodies, it also created some drama with a rescue at Sumner.
Melting tar caused minor problems on some rural and city roads and it wasn't a good day to be at work. Before afternoon cloud rolled in, burn time was down to just five to 10 minutes.
"This front will stay fairly much in this position through tomorrow but after that will move up over the country and the cooler air that's sitting in behind will come up over the country,"Gorman says.
For many, Saturday's forecast high of just 15 degrees for Christchurch will be very welcome.
The searing temperatures in Canterbury are also being felt in other parts of the country, with 30-plus conditions covering areas from Timaru to Gisborne.
And scorching temperatures are melting the North Island's Desert Road, prompting police to ask motorists to be extremely cautious when travelling on the section of State Highway One.
Signs have been erected in the affected areas and sand has been put on the road, but this has made it slippery.
Conditions on the Desert Road are often affected by cold weather but rarely by hot temperatures.
For information about weather in your region go to tvnz.co.nz's weather section
