Our region was the place to be in New Zealand yesterday, recording the highest temperatures in the country - and there are no signs of it cooling just yet.
MetService said Cromwell had the highest temperature in the country, 30.8degC between 3pm and 4pm.
Wanaka was runner-up with 29.5degC between 4pm and 5pm.
But although it might have been a hot summer's day in Wanaka, there was one thing missing - the crowds.
The heat drove the few tourists and locals into cafes, under trees or the lake. Stand-up paddle boarding was one of the favourite ways to ride out the heat.
It has reached 23degC or above in Wanaka for eight days.
Alexandra recorded 27.7degC between 4pm and 5pm.
People were out among cafes and a few people sat by the rivers at lunchtime or took dogs walking. Some boated along the rivers.
Jack Farrell (11) set up an ice-cream truck at The Courthouse Cafe after school and was serving Eton mess and brandy snaps.
''On hot days, it's a lot busier than on colder days,'' Jack said.
His mother, Bec Farrell, owner of the cafe, said it was hot for November, but did not believe it was hot for Alexandra.
''There's a lot more days he can sell the ice creams because it's hotter,'' she said.
Queenstown's high was 26.8degC.
''You would have probably had more of a chance finding a hen with teeth or a pig with wings than a cloud in the sky in the Wakatipu,'' one person said.
The last time there was significant rain in the resort was overnight on November 7, when residents woke to snow. .
For the past fortnight, however, there has been an almost constant run of clear, sunny days - and increased sightings of people who appear to have forgotten the ''slip, slop, slap'' message.
MetService predicted the good run of weather for the resort would continue until early next week, although temperatures could drop slightly over the weekend.
MetService meteorologist April Clark said the high November temperatures were not out of the ordinary.
''When you get clear skies for a number of days, when you're inland it heats up faster.''
She said similar conditions were expected for the rest of the month.
At 4.30pm, the MetService website said both the highest and lowest temperature in the country were in Otago - 28.9degC in Wanaka and 14.4degC in Oamaru.
