PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSONSt Kilda Beach was heaving yesterday as crowds swarmed to take a dip and escape the sweltering heat. A MetService meteorologist said Otago was the hottest region in the country, with different centres, including Dunedin and Alexandra, vying for the top spot. Temperatures reached 29°C, but nowhere in New Zealand managed to break into the thirties. ‘‘Luckily for Dunedin the weekend will cool down a little bit, with a high of 22°C for Saturday and reaching a maximum of 20°C for Sunday.’’The meteorologist said people should ‘‘enjoy the hot weather while you can’’ because come Monday, the high would be a cool 14°C.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 06, 2026 22:38 UTC