Hottest January since records began in five New Zealand cities

Thursday, 1 February 2018

Record breaking temperatures are set to continue with the days of summer yet to come.

Basking in last month's sunshine may have distracted Kiwis from yet another weather-related record, felt across five cities.

Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Palmerston North and Invercargill all recorded their hottest January since records began.

Sumner Beach visitors took advantage of Christchurch's highest average January temperature since 1953 (19.9C).

St Clair esplanade and beach in Dunedin was a nice place to enjoy the January's heat, which reached an average of 19.1C, the highest temperature since 1962.

Spots at beaches across the country were prime real estate as New Zealand experienced a scorching start to the summer.

Wellington residents like Hudson Bodden, 4, tried anything to cool down during the hottest January since records began.

The news, announced by MetService on Thursday, adds to the already long list records shattered this summer.

Wellington recorded an average temperature of 20.4 degrees Celsius, claiming the title for hottest month on record since 1927, when data was collected in the suburb of Kelburn.

*** No let-up as heatwave strikes

* Canterbury's hottest day yet to come

* Temperatures could hit 40 degrees**

It surpasses the previous record-holder, February 2016 (19.6C), and is the polar opposite of last year's miserable January.

Palmerston North also sweated through its hottest January, with an average of 21.8C – up 4C on the long-term average

MetService confirmed the average temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius broke Auckland's warmest run of weather since 1962, despite not hitting higher-than-normal temperatures that were seen in other parts of the country.

Whangaparaoa had its warmest day since 1999 on January 27 when it hit a steamy 28.8 degrees Celsius.

Down south, where rural fire crews and helicopters were on standby as temperatures closed in on the 40C mark, Christchurch notched an average of 19.9C.

#Wellington - hottest month on record, in Kelburn observations since 1927. Yes, that's right: hottest January, hottest month, even surpassing the previous record-holder Feb 2016 (19.6C) ^GG #scorcher pic.twitter.com/JMpQrnCl3u

— MetService (@MetService) February 1, 2018

The South Island's largest city beat all previous records observed at the city's airport since 1953, inching out the now second place February 1998, when the average was 19.7C.

#Christchurch - hottest January on record, hottest month on record, in Airport observations since 1953. Even surpassing the previous record-holder Feb 1998 (19.7C)^GG #scorcher pic.twitter.com/LukHbYJmhn

— MetService (@MetService) February 1, 2018

The southeast coastal city of Dunedin wasn't too far behind with 19.1C.

That was the highest average temperature since people began studiously taking note at the airport back in 1962.

#Dunedin - hottest January on record, hottest month on record, in Airport observations since 1962. Surpassing by a very large margin the previous record-holder Feb 2016 (17.8C) ^GG #scorcher pic.twitter.com/88NAo7jatF

— MetService (@MetService) February 1, 2018

Right at the bottom of the country, Invercargill recorded its hottest January since records began in 1948, with an average temperature of 17.9C.

This smashed the previous record of 16.2C, which was recorded in both 1956 and 1975.

Meanwhile, Queenstown's average temperature of 21.5C was a whopping 5.7C above the historical average temperature for January.

It was no wonder beaches and public pools across the South Island attracted big numbers.

But it was only a week ago that the mercury at the same site hit 35C, a world away from the state of emergency declared on the first day of February.

It can be difficult to determine what exactly caused such a high average in January, but MetService attributes the high temperatures to multiple factors.

Sea surface temperatures and warmer moist air masses from the tropics are one of a few culprits to blame for the warmer than expected January temperatures.

A spokeswoman said the current La Niña patterns are playing a large role too.

It is the very same scorching summer that saw a weather station in Waiau, north Canterbury, record New Zealand's hottest day in almost seven years with 37C.

But it doesn't hold a candle to February 6, 2011, when Timaru reached 41.3C.

Neither does it compare to the country's hottest day ever, back in February 7, 1973, when another north Canterbury town registered 42.4C.