Dunedin has again shown its reputation as a cold, wet and windy city is unfounded.
The city was the driest of the country's six main centres during winter as Christchurch took the title as the coldest, Tauranga the wettest and Auckland the warmest and sunniest, Niwa's winter climate summary said.
Senior climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said the first half of winter was colder than usual, in contrast with the mild second half.
Taiaroa Head recorded the highest wind gust nationally of 161kmh on June 28 but otherwise the only winter record broken in Otago was Queenstown's about 80-year sunshine record of 471 hours (168% of normal).
Just behind were Cromwell and Balclutha which recorded their third-highest sunshine hours for winter with 403 hours and 390 hours respectively.
During winter, Dunedin had above normal rainfall of 222mm, a near average mean temperature of 7.4degC and nearly normal sunshine of 333 hours.
August figures contributed to the overall winter picture due to frequent northeasterly winds producing an unusually mild August with the national average 1.2degC higher than the long-term average at 9.9degC.
Niwa's August climate report showed well-above-average temperatures were experienced in Central Otago. It was an extremely wet month for North Otago with no records broken.
Queenstown recorded 170 hours of sunshine, 141% of normal and the highest total since 1930. Balclutha recorded its second-highest August sunshine with 159 hours, 136% of normal.
Ranfurly recorded the country's lowest temperature for the month with -5.3degC on the 23rd, plus recorded its third-highest extreme maximum of 17.9degC on the 31st and its third-highest mean temperature for the month with 5.8degC, 1.5degC above normal.
Alexandra experienced its second-lowest August rainfall with 5mm (22% of normal). Gore recorded 5mm (9% of normal), its fourth-lowest.
Dunedin was the coolest and cloudiest of the country's six main centres, recording a mean temperature of 8.4degC, above average and just 0.4degC lower than Christchurch.
It recorded below normal sunshine at 102 hours (84% of normal) which was behind Christchurch's 121 hours and Wellington's 114 hours.
Rainfall recorded in the city was well above normal at 103mm, and higher than Christchurch's 93mm.
