If you look at the current nationwide temperature map something stands out – Dunedin and coastal Otago is blushing in unseasonable warmth.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says the average May 11th daytime high in Dunedin is about 14 degrees; currently the airport is officially 25 degrees with private weather stations surging into the late 20s within the city itself.

The warm nor’west flow over the South Island is the reason for the warmth – as the last of the sub-tropical air blows across the country today, before clearing overnight and Thursday.

On Thursday expect warmer than average weather in the east of both islands, but a cooler change arrives in Dunedin – and gets even colder next week with highs returning to average, around 14 degrees.

Thursday is likely to see high temperatures in the North Island’s east coast, with damaging hurricane force nor’west winds possible around the upper eastern South Island and lower North Island late in the day or evening.

The windy change is expected to remain over New Zealand for the next week.

– Maps via our partners at Wunderground

– WeatherWatch.co.nz