Cheviot has cracked the 30-degree mark today, hitting a scorching 31.2 degrees - the hottest temperature recorded in NZ since March this year.
Summer has come early to the North Canterbury town, with a warmer than average spring already living up to expectations.
The warm temperatures have been predicted in NIWA's three-month outlook, with meteorologist Ben Noll explaining that New Zealand is "on the cusp of El Niño conditions at this point", with a big high pressure system set to swoop in.
"It is going to start off quite warm with some summer-like spells over the coming weeks," Mr Noll said in the outlook video.
After a cooler-than-average September, El Niño had started to bite in the last week of October. And a high from across the Tasman is likely to see temperatures soar in coming weeks - well into the 20s and "30 or warmer" during the first three weeks of November.
Mr Noll added our oceans will also be great for swimming, with water temperature warmer than usual for this time of year.
El Niño had warmed the sea surface temperature "quite significantly" - after cooler sea temperatures around New Zealand in September, "it warmed up dramatically" in late October, a trend he said will continue in November.
If that holds true, increased sea temperature will likely push air temperature higher in December.
But the good news for beachgoers could be bad news for farmers, Mr Noll said, advising them to start planning in case of a tough few months.
"In terms of rainfall, we don’t see much of it in the eastern parts of the country as we go forward," he said. "This is a climate forecast so it gives you a broad sense of what to expect."
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