Soaring temperatures saw locals donning their swimsuits and flocking to the beach over the past few days, and experts advise that more unseasonably warm weather is yet to come.

In the past week temperatures in the Upper Clutha reached daily highs six to seven degrees above the November daily high average of 19.2 degrees.

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research (NIWA) principal scientist Chris Brandolino says residents should prepare for more scorching days as the high is likely to last until the end of the week, which may get hotter as the days pass.

The temperature has been hovering at around 24-25 degrees.

“We can certainly exceed those temperatures so [Upper Clutha] temperatures [may] get even hotter as you work through the rest of the work week.”

Part of this comes down to being in a La Niña - a weather pattern which forecasts above average temperatures and below normal rainfall for southern New Zealand.

“Above average temperatures are pretty darn likely,” Chris said.

In January 2018 (a La Niña year) Wānaka experienced a heatwave with official temperatures up to 35 degrees. Wanaka recorded 22 days with a high temperature above 25 degrees.

“I'm not sure if that'll happen again, precisely, but certainly, we're going to be in a warm direction and it certainly wouldn't surprise me if we had some unusual stats like that,” Chris said. 

Fortunately, there’s likely to be some reprieve over the next seven-or-so days.

“I think the warm days are going to outnumber the cold days but there certainly will be a few cold days in there, particularly toward the early to middle part of next week,” Chris said.

Read more about the seasonal weather outlook here.

PHOTO: Wānaka App