At last, summer's here

Christchurch has marked only its second day of the summer above 30 degrees Celsius.

The temperature at Christchurch Airport peaked at 31.1C yesterday afternoon, with temperatures inland, and in North Canterbury, a degree or two higher.

South Canterbury was a little cooler, with maximums in the mid-20s.

It was the fifth consecutive warm day, with more fine weather forecast this month.

The year started promisingly with 32.8C recorded in Christchurch on January 2, but it has been a largely cool and cloudy summer.

MetService forecaster Heath Gullery said the only blip on the horizon appeared to be tomorrow and initially on Friday, with a chance of showers and a light southerly change.

That would drop temperatures back to the low 20s for a few days.

Today would reach at least the high 20s, with 30C likely in some places.

High cloud this afternoon would keep the temperatures a little lower than yesterday, he said.

"We've had incredibly dry air today, with relative humidity across Canterbury very low, down to the mid-teens. That's kind of Australian conditions."

- © Fairfax NZ News