Dunedin came close but it was Christchurch's sunshine which set January records.
Dunedin recorded its eighth-sunniest month since records began - the sunniest month was 279 hours in January 2008 - and its third-sunniest January since 1947, Niwa figures show.
The city recorded 237 hours of bright sunshine, short of the January 2008 record and the 239 hours in the same month in 1959.
Niwa climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said sunshine totals were high along the east coast of the South Island in January, because of a combination of more northwest winds than usual over the South Island, and a blocking high which parked over and to the east of the country for the second half of the month.
It was the sunniest January on record for Christchurch, Cheviot, Ashburton and Lake Tekapo, and near-record high for Balclutha and Cromwell.
Christchurch recorded 289 hours of sunshine, its sunniest January since 1949 and its second-sunniest month since records began. The sunniest month was December 1988, with 295 hours.
Balclutha recorded its second-highest sunshine hours at 265 hours and the sixth highest of any month, and Cromwell recorded 306 hours, its second-highest for January and for any month.
Elsewhere, sunshine totals were generally above normal.
