The first half of February brought exceptionally hot weather, while winter arrived extremely late - May was the warmest on record, while June was the third warmest.
That was followed by the bitter cold of an icy polar blast towards the end of July, and another polar blast in mid-August that brought snow to some surprising places.
Snow fell at unusually low levels across the South Island and suburban Wellington, while flurries reached as far north as Auckland and Northland.
The highest average annual temperature of 16.7C was recorded at Leigh, followed by the North Shore with 16.4C and Whangarei with 16.3C.
Of the main centres, Auckland's average annual temperature was 15.9C, Tauranga's 15.7C, Hamilton's 14.1C, Wellington's 13.1C, Christchurch's 11.6C and Dunedin's 11.4C.
The highest recorded temperature was at Timaru on February 6, when temperatures reached an unbearable 41.3C, an all-time high for the area.
The lowest recorded temperature was at Manapouri on July 26, with a low of minus 10.2C, also a record for the area.
Half of the year was wetter than normal, while two months were drier.
The wet weather caused chaos in some parts of the country, with a state of emergency declared in the Hawke's Bay after extreme rains in April.
A state of emergency was also declared in Nelson last month following record-breaking rainfall that closed roads, caused flooding and slips and forced households to evacuate.
Average rainfall totals were more than 120 per cent of normal in parts of Auckland, Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Nelson and Central Otago, as well as much of the central North Island.
Kaikoura, Canterbury and much of Fiordland and Westland were drier than normal.
Most of the main centres received more rain than normal, with Tauranga receiving the biggest increase.
Annual rainfall there was 1698mm, or 140 per cent of normal, while Auckland received 1540mm, or 131 per cent of normal, Hamilton got 1538mm, or 127 per cent of normal, and Wellington got 1380mm, or 110 per cent of normal.
Christchurch and Dunedin were drier than usual, with Christchurch receiving 621mm, or 99 per cent of normal, and Dunedin 660mm, or 82 per cent of normal.
The wettest area was the Cropp River on the West Coast, with 9493mm of annual rainfall, while the driest was Clyde, with just 395mm for the year.
The highest one-day rainfall was recorded in Takaka on December 14, at the height of the Nelson-Tasman deluge, with 392mm _ an all-time daily record there.
Nelson residents still reeling from the downpours may not believe it, but their city was again the sunniest, with 2487 sunlight hours.
Of the main centres, Tauranga got the most sun, with 2271 hours, followed by Christchurch with 2030, Auckland with 2009, Wellington with 1954, Hamilton with 1941 and Dunedin with 1804.
Higher than usual sea pressures brought more northeasterly winds than usual over northern and central New Zealand, driving the higher temperatures and above normal rainfall.
The blustery conditions struck with fatal consequences in May, when a tornado ripped through a busy Albany shopping centre, killing one person and leaving a trail of destruction.
But the distinction of the highest gust goes to Cape Turnagain, south of Hawke's Bay, which recorded a gust of 189kmh.
