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Last year went down as New Zealand’s 10th warmest, with an average of 13.25C - or just over 0.5C above the 1991-2020 baseline.
Eight of New Zealand’s 10 warmest years have occurred since 2013 - a trend that’s been attributed to background climate change.
Globally, 2024 is likely to be confirmed as the planet’s hottest ever, after another year of catastrophic flooding, scorching heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 50C, and devastating wildfires.
New Zealand again saw one of its hottest years on the books in 2024 – although one slightly cooler than a run of record-breakers this decade.
Niwa’s just-released climate summary for the year found New Zealand’s national average temperature finished up at 13.25C - or just over 0.5C above the 1991-2020 average.
That continued a theme which scientists have been observing under global climate change, with eight of New Zealand’s 10 warmest years having occurred since 2013.
Previously, 2023 came in as the country’s second warmest – just behind 2022′s record-setter.
Globally, 2024 is likely to be confirmed as the planet’s hottest ever, after another year of catastrophic flooding, scorching heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 50C, and devastating wildfires.
Niwa meteorologist Chris Brandolino attributed the difference here to New Zealand’s unique climate drivers, such as surrounding sea temperatures and phenomena like El Nino.
“There’s regional variability always, just because the globe is at one level, be it first, second or third, doesn’t mean other areas of the world won’t be slightly different or won’t be incongruent with that.”
The report also noted New Zealand observed record readings of carbon dioxide levels in 2024, in which the threshold of 420 parts per million of CO2 was crossed at Niwa’s Baring Head station near Wellington.
“There is a clear trend here of warmer temperatures throughout not only New Zealand, but also Australia, Europe, North America ... and the polar regions, too,” Brandolino said.
“It’s well documented, and just because every year is not going to be number one ... that longer-term trend continues to rise.”
Source / Niwa
Elsewhere, Niwa’s analysis found 2024′s temperatures hovered above average in many regions, including Northland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and coastal Hawke’s Bay.
While the country experienced warmer-than-usual conditions overall, there were some notable exceptions.
March and May brought below-average temperatures - marking the country’s coldest months in over a decade.
The year also brought drier-than-normal conditions to much of the country, particularly in northern and eastern regions.
Northland, Tasman, and Canterbury experienced prolonged dry spells, with Dargaville and Whitianga recording their driest years on record.
The Ministry for Primary Industries declared a medium-scale drought event early in the year, affecting areas from Northland to Marlborough.
In contrast, parts of the southern South Island endured persistent rain: Lumsden recorded its wettest year since records began in 1982, with Southland and Otago frequently hit by rain-packed systems.
Extreme weather events led to four local states of emergency, including in Westland, Wairoa, Dunedin, and Clutha districts.
The report showed how the year’s weather patterns were shaped by fluctuating sea surface temperatures and the remnants of an El Nino event.
Flooding in Hawke's Bay's Wairoa River on June 26 last year. Image / Hawke's Bay Regional Council
During early 2024, sea temperatures dipped below normal for the first time since 2021, contributing to cooler air temperatures in March and May.
But by late winter, these rebounded to above normal and remained elevated through to the year’s end. The peak, at 2.1C above average, was off the west of the North Island in late January.
The year’s weather was also dominated by more southwesterly winds during the summer and autumn months, followed by easterly and northeasterly winds in winter.
This shift helped sustain the dry conditions in northern and eastern regions, which are relatively sheltered from westerly weather systems.
As for sunshine, Marlborough claimed the crown for 2024, with Blenheim recording 2769 hours of sunshine - the highest total nationwide.
Niwa is shortly due to release its outlook for the first three months of 2025.
Jamie Morton is a specialist in science and environmental reporting. He joined the Herald in 2011 and writes about everything from conservation and climate change to natural hazards and new technology.
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