Dunedin Airport was the hottest place in Otago yesterday, reaching a high of 28.9degC.
Dunedin city was not far behind, at 28.6degC. Elsewhere in Otago, Oamaru was 27.5degC, Alexandra reached 25.7degC and Queenstown had a high of 22.7degC.
But even Dunedin temperatures fell short of the record for the region, which was 34.9degC in 1995 according to MetService records, which go back to 1992.
MetService meteorologist Frances Russell said the Foehn effect was to thank for the warm temperatures yesterday.
‘‘It is the northwesterlies which warm as they come over the mountains,'' she said.
Temperatures would drop again today, as they were wont to do when a northwesterly wind turned into a southwesterly, Ms Russell said.
‘‘Often you'll get northwesterlies out in front, and then cool down with a southerly change. That pattern is not unusual.''
She predicted a few showers tomorrow and Saturday, and showers turning to rain on Sunday night.
