It’s been a warm day in the Bay of Plenty as clear skies and light winds saw temperatures climb to 18 degrees.  It’s the second time in just over a week that the region has reached the 18 degree mark in what is typically one of the coldest weeks of the year.

The unseasonably warm weather isn’t going to end soon either with highs predicted to be in the mid to upper teens this weekend for Bay of Plenty, Coromandel Peninsula and Northland residents, predicts WeatherWatch.co.nz.

But in Auckland temperatures have dropped as high cloud rolled in and thickened this afternoon.  The temperature fell from 13 to 11 as the cloud moved in. 

The cloud cover will mean a warmer night though with overnight lows several degrees higher than previous nights this week.

Frontal cloud was clearly seen moving into Taranaki this afternoon – see our reader photos here.

See our full wrap of Daily Highs.

Frontpage image: Looking east from Auckland to Coromandel, Keith Morgan