New Zealand's temperatures were above average for eight months of last year, making it the country's tenth hottest year on record.
Weather research agency NIWA (the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) has released its annual climate summary for 2024, which is soon expected to be announced as the global hottest year on record by the World Meteorological Organisation.
Aotearoa's temperatures were slightly cooler compared to 2023 - the country's second hottest year ever.
However, NIWA says eight of the country's 10 warmest years have been since 2013.
At an announcement in Auckland this morning, NIWA Principal Scientist Chris Brandolino highlighted temperature patterns and anomalies throughout the past 12 months.
He said March and May were the only two months that recorded below-average temperatures.
"It's worth noting that on June 10th 2024, 25.7degC was observed at Hastings. This is important because this is the second highest temperature ever recorded in New Zealand during the winter season," Brandolino said.
Meanwhile, in spite of a seemingly sluggish start to summer in some areas, December 2024 was the fifth warmest December on record.
"I think the cooler temperatures we're experiencing in some parts of the country is probably an anomaly. I don't see that being a theme for the coming three months," Brandolino said.
Brandolino said Blenheim was the sunniest spot in the country last year, recording 2769 hours of sunshine.
Overall temperatures ranged from a peak of 37degC in Hanmer Forest in February to a low of -11.8decC in Tekapo in August.
Ranfurly had the highest barometric pressure reading ever recorded in New Zealand in July, 1045.5hPA.
"High pressure was a common theme in July. That led to frequent occurrences of freezing fog, black ice," Brandolino said.
Ten locations in New Zealand had near record-low rainfall.
"Dargaville and Whitianga had their driest years on record with just 72% and 66% respectively of their normal annual rainfall," he said.
Other spots were doused by five 'atmospheric river' events throughout the year, which led to four state of emergency declarations for flooding in Westland District, Wairoa, and Dunedin and Clutha.
Brandolino said Lumsden observed its wettest year since records began in the town in 1982, with 1249mm of rain.
New Zealand is now tipping into a La Niña weather event, and Brandolino said that could increase the chance of more big rain events this year.
"There still are indications that as we progress through the rest of summer, February into autumn, March, that we may see these La Nina-like hiccups from the atmosphere where we get these surges or periods of northeast winds," he said.
"When those sort of patterns emerge, that does elevate the odds for big rain events. Whenever our weather, our airflow comes from the subtropics or the tropics... that does elevate the odds for big rainfall events, flooding events."
