- New Zealand has had its warmest winter since records began more than 100 years ago.
- The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research’s (Niwa) Seven Station Temperature Series, which began in 1909, shows the 2020 winter was 1.14C above average.
- Seventeen locations around the country had record breaking-mean winter temperatures, and 53 other locations ranked within their top four warmest winters.
- The highest recorded winter 2020 temperature was 25.1C on 30 August in Timaru.
- It was the highest temperature recorded there during winter since records began in 1885.
- It was also the equal-fourth warmest winter temperature on record for the whole of New Zealand.
- The lowest temperature was -12.3°C, observed at Middlemarch, in the South Island’s Otago region, on 14 June.
- In November, New Zealand passed landmark climate change legislation, with historic cross-party support, committing the nation to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2050 and to meeting its commitments under the Paris climate accords.
- Of the six main centres, Auckland was the warmest during this past winter.
- Christchurch was the coldest, Tauranga had the most rain as well as being the sunniest.
- Dunedin was the driest, and Hamilton had the least sun.
- There were only a few locations around the country which had near average temperatures, including Tararua, Kaikoura, and parts of Southland and Otago.
