The hottest place to be this week was Blenheim, in the top of the South Island, which recorded temperatures of 35 degrees celcius. In general, the eastern parts of NZ are being subjected to a significant heatwave that is seeing temperatures in the thirties in places like Christchurch, Kaikoura, Gisborne and Hastings.
New Zealanders are being urged to stay inside, drink lots of water and limit alcohol this week as temperatures are set to soar by about six degrees above average.
Usually if it gets as hot as twenty-nine degrees, New Zealanders suffer. They are not used to temperatures that reach thirty.
MetService said the heat had been blown in from Australia and that this will continue for the next week.
Canterbury District Health Board medical officer of health Alistair Humphrey said people needed to get ready. They would need to drink more water and avoid alcohol. They should find shady spots indoors to keep cool.
He said it was also important to be careful with children and the elderly, who were more vulnerable to the harsh conditions.
Most New Zealand children will be starting back at school this week, so this may make the heat wave all the more uncomfortable for them.
There are total fire bans in place Northland, Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury.
There is a restricted fire season in the rest of the country. This means that people need a permit to have a fire.
Vocabulary
to be subjected to: to suffer from
significant: large, noticeable
vulnerable: easily hurt
harsh conditions: uncomfortable weather