Dunedin International Airport recorded the highest maximum temperature in the country yesterday with 29degC at 4pm.
However, the city only managed 23degC at 5pm yesterday, MetService figures showed.
The closest other centres got to the airport's figure were 27degC at Ashburton and Christchurch and 26degC in Oamaru.
Forecaster Tuporo Marsters said a high was sitting over the Chatham Islands producing wet conditions on the West Coast and dry conditions in the east as the winds travelled over the Southern Alps.
Today's conditions were expected to be similar.
