This winter has officially been one of the warmest on record in New Zealand.
NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll told 1 NEWS how 2020 stacks up to past temperature records.
“Winter 2020 is looking to be a degree - if not a little bit warmer above average - and that puts it amongst an elite group of warmest winters on record, with our records dating back to 1909, so quite significant.”
Data's still being collected, but Mt Cook's on track to have one of its driest ever winters, while Timaru had one of the hottest ever winter days yesterday.
MetService says Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington are all heading for one of their warmest ever winters too.
“It’s a combination of warm winds, warm ocean temperatures and more high pressure that’s aided by climate change, so four components to what's likely to become a record warm winter here,” Mr Noll says.
It’s been less than ideal for skiers, with several spots across the South Island seeing less than half the usual snow depth.
The warmer weather's set to continue into spring, with NIWA predicting warmer than average temperatures and a drier season down south than usual.
However, with heavy snow forecast for parts of the South Island this week, there is some good news on the horizon for skiers.
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