6 Feb 2011

High temperatures along East Coast

6:00 pm on 6 February 2011

New Zealand experienced unusually high temperatures along the East Coast, from Otago to Gisborne on Sunday.

The Meteorological Service's duty manager Ian Gall says the hottest centres were Timaru which peaked at 40.2 degrees Celsius, Dunedin - 40, Oamaru - 36 and Christchurch - 35.

Mr Gall says the high temperatures were caused by warm moist air rising over the mountain ranges, and drying out as it descends.

He says the temperatures are unusual for this time of year but MetService has yet to confirm whether they are record temperatures.