Weather

Long-awaited rain is forecast for the drought-hit Northland region.

Steady drizzle may have rained off the cricket in Dunedin but it failed to dampen more than the central city, leaving the rest of the area in extreme fire risk.

Many long-time Dunedin residents are scratching their heads trying to remember the last time the city experienced such a consistently good summer.

It was the best of summers, it was the worst of summers. It was the season for beach and barbecue. It was the time when dreaded drought stretched its grip across the country.

A rain radar for Otago is still not on the agenda of the MetService.

Farmers have welcomed this week's reprieve from a long hot dry spell.

One of the driest Januaries in more than 100 years has resulted in an "extreme" and "severe" lack of soil moisture across all of the North Island.

A sweltering night led to another hot summer day in Otago yesterday - the 11th day out of 12 when the region recorded a temperature above 20degC.

The golden weather being enjoyed by much of the country will come to an end early next week, but it will be back, says the MetService.

The country will continue to swelter, as temperatures in some areas reach at least 30C today.