As the month drew to a close, Otago was set to better several records, Niwa climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said yesterday.
"It was a very anticyclonic month. There were a lot of highs, light winds, clear skies bringing the afternoon temperatures up."
That translated into record sunshine hours for the Musselburgh weather station in Dunedin, which recorded 1.5 times its usual April sunshine with 182 hours to yesterday.
Cromwell also bettered its 2005 record of 204 hours with 210 hours (118% of normal) while Middlemarch was heading for its third-highest with 170 (119%) and Balclutha its second-highest at 164 hours (136% normal).
With the sun came warmth, and some "really astounding" average maximum afternoon temperature statistics that were between 5degC and 6degC higher than normal in Alexandra (24.3degC), Cromwell (22.9degC) and Queenstown (20.5degC), Ms Griffiths said.
In Dunedin, temperatures were 1.5degC above normal.
Musselburgh recorded an average of 17degC in the afternoons - the third-warmest since 1917 - and the airport 18.1degC, its fourth-warmest for April.
"There were many maximum average afternoon temperatures reached throughout Southland and Otago, Fiordland, Westland, Nelson and from Palmerston North to Waikato. It was an average 3degC warmer than your typical April," she said.
Along with the sun and warmth, the region was also heading towards one of its driest Aprils.
Up to 9am on Sunday, Musselburgh had recorded only 5mm of rain. The driest April on record was in 1995, when 11.6mm fell.
By 9am yesterday, Musselburgh had recorded 12mm, on track to beat the record for second-driest April, in 1939, when 20mm fell.
Alexandra looked also set to record its driest April since 1983, with 4mm of rain, and Cromwell its second-driest since 1949, with 5mm. Both received about 15% of their normal rainfall.
Balclutha was on track to record its second-driest April with 10mm, 22% of normal while Queenstown recorded 26mm, 43% of normal.
Showers and cold southwesterlies were expected to ease today and sunshine to return tomorrow.
