New Zealand has emerged from one of its warmest winters on record, with new data showing the average nationwide temperature reached 9.7C — making it the country's third-warmest winter since records began in 1909.
The figure was 1.1C above the 1991-2020 winter average, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand's winter climate summary, released today.
The South Island experienced a particularly warm season, with temperatures above or well above average across the entire island during winter.
Many parts of the North Island were also warmer than usual, although temperatures remained close to average in parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, eastern Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.
Earth Sciences New Zealand said the result may come as a surprise to people in northern areas, with the exceptional warmth experienced nationwide in June and throughout the South Island helping drive up the overall winter average.
Record-breaking warmth
Dozens of locations logged record or near-record high temperatures over the first two days of June, as a high-pressure system east of New Zealand brought a very warm northerly flow across the country.
Another spell of unusually warm weather followed later that month. Christchurch recorded the country's highest winter temperature, reaching 26C in Bromley on June 20 — New Zealand's second-highest winter temperature on record.
Lincoln reached 25.7C the same day, equalling the country's third-highest winter temperature, while Christchurch's Botanic Gardens reached 25.6C — the fourth-highest.
Winter still brought some bitterly cold spells to parts of the country, with Lake Tekapo recording the season's lowest temperature of -13.5C on July 12.
Fourteen locations experienced record or near-record low minimum temperatures for winter during the August cold snap, and frosts were observed across most of the country from August 5 to 7.
A mixed season for rainfall
Rainfall also varied considerably across the country during winter. Southland, Otago, the West Coast and parts of Canterbury recorded above or well above normal rainfall.
Large parts of the North Island were drier than normal, including Manawatū-Whanganui, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay and much of Waikato, Auckland Northland.
The highest one-day total rainfall was 194mm at Franz Josef on August 26, while the strongest wind gust reached 207km/h at Cape Turnagain on August 23.
Of the six main centres, Auckland and Tauranga were the equal-warmest over winter, while Tauranga took out the title of the sunniest main centre. Christchurch was the coolest and driest, Wellington was the wettest and Dunedin was the least sunny.
Across the entire country, Nelson had experienced the most sunshine, totalling 1823 hours throughout the year so far.
It was followed by Whakatāne with 1793 hours, New Plymouth with 1760 hours and Richmond with 1722 hours.
El Niño is expected to bring a warm, dry and windy spring – putting pressure on crops, pasture, and water supplies. (Source: Breakfast)
Earth Sciences New Zealand said El Niño conditions were present in the tropical Pacific and strengthened considerably from the middle of winter.
Sea temperatures around New Zealand were mostly near or above average, with marine heatwave conditions experienced around much of the South Island and Tasman Sea during July and August.
Intensifying El Niño conditions were now expected to bring a warm, dry and windy spring to many parts of the country.
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