2017 has been dubbed 'the year of extremes', following record rainfall, dryness and temperature numbers in New Zealand.
NIWA's annual climate summary report, released this morning, marks 2017 as being the fifth-warmest year on record.
"By October 1st, five out of the six main centres - with the exception of Dunedin - had already the normal rainfall for the whole year," says NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino.
Whangarei, Whitianga, and Whangaparoa all recorded their highest ever temperatures.
Brandolino adds we've already seen a snapshot of weather extremes this year.
"The amount may not change so much for a lot of areas, but the expectation with climate change is that the distribution will, these large swings of dryness and wetness. Look what happened with just the past three weeks. You look at the dryness we had across the Auckland and Northland areas, across the North Island. Then you take this huge rain event we just had."
Civil Defence declared eight weather-related state of emergencies last year – a new record.
"Extreme events will always happen. That has always happened,” Brandolino says.
"It's the number and how extreme I think that will change, and is projected to change over the coming years and decades."
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