It was also New Zealand’s warmest November on record.
Niwa meteorologist Seth Carrier said the past three months were characterised by higher than normal pressure east of New Zealand and lower than normal pressure over eastern Australia and the Coral Sea.
"This generally resulted in more northeasterly winds than normal, bringing moist air from the tropics and sub-tropics across New Zealand, resulting in periods of wet and warm weather," he said.
Despite this general pattern, notable winter-like cold snaps were experienced in the early parts of both September and October.
Snow flurries were reported in central Dunedin on September 5, with snow and ice causing treacherous conditions about the hill suburbs of the city on September 6.
An even more impactful springtime snow event happened on October 5-6 when a series of cold fronts passed across the South Island, delivering snowfall to sea level for widespread parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury.
Despite the cooler weather throughout spring, rainfall was below normal in eastern Otago and in Southland, and near normal for the remainder of the region, he said.
"Only one location in New Zealand — Rakiura/Stewart Island — had a near-record dry spring.
"It was their third driest spring on record."
After both September and October had near-average nationwide temperature anomalies (based on Niwa’s seven-station temperature series which begins in 1909), November was New Zealand’s warmest November on record, he said.
"With a temperature anomaly of 1.8degC above average, November propelled spring 2022 into a top-10 warmest ranking."
