New Zealand has just recorded its third-warmest winter since records began in 1909, with the national average temperature reaching 9.7°C.
That’s 1.1°C warmer than the usual winter average, based on the 30 years from 1991 to 2020. Earth Sciences New Zealand, the group that tracks the country’s weather patterns, released the figures after winter officially ended in late August.
Nearly the whole South Island was warmer than usual, or even well above average. Most of the North Island was mild too, except for a few spots like Northland, Auckland, Waikato, the eastern Bay of Plenty and Gisborne, which were closer to normal.
Early June brought some standout warm days, thanks to a high-pressure weather system pushing warm air down from the north. Christchurch’s Bromley suburb hit a toasty 26°C on 20 June, the highest winter temperature recorded anywhere in the country. Nearby Lincoln reached 25.7°C the same day.
It wasn’t all warmth, though. Lake Tekapo dropped to a chilly -13.5°C on 12 July, the coldest reading of the season.
With spring now underway, it will be interesting to see whether the mild trend continues.
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