New Zealand's summer gales and downpours may be continuing but across the Tasman a northern New South Wales town is sweltering in a record-breaking heatwave.
The 2000 residents of Moree in the north of the state have sweltered through 27 consecutive days where the temperature has exceeded 35 degrees Celsius - a state record.
The previous benchmark was 17 days. Forecasters say there is no respite in sight.
Beautiful views on a Moree morning!#VisitNSW
— Econo Lodge Moree (@EconoLodgeMoree) January 22, 2017
: @themoreegallery pic.twitter.com/XwUr7Av7RR
Rob Taggart from Australia's the Bureau of Meteorology said the weather in Moree was unprecedented, even for summer.
"This is unheard of," he said. "The previous record was 17 days in a row of 35 degrees or more and that was set in the summer of '81 and '82.
"We're also forecasting 35 degrees out at Moree for the remainder of the week so it looks like this new record will run out to 34 days in a row."
A hot day was also forecast for Sydney, with a top of 38°C on the coast and 40°C in the west, although a cool change will come with showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening.
Mr Taggart said New South Wales was "sandwiched" between weather events.
"There is a high-pressure system in the Tasman Sea which the [hot] air mass to not move out to sea," he said.
"At the same time we've got a trough, which is to our west, which is directing a whole lot of hot air over New South Wales."
New Zealand, meanwhile, is in for its third storm in a week with heavy rain and severe gales expected to lash large parts of the South Island from this afternoon.
