The heatwave in numbers

The heatwave in numbers

NIWA has crunched the data on this week’s heatwave and come up with the following record breakers:

Highest temperature: Hanmer Forest 38.4C

Warmest temperature in Aotearoa so far this summer was recorded at Hanmer Forest on 31st January. This is Hanmer Forest’s warmest temperature on record (data since 1906). It is also the highest January temperature in NZ since Alexandra reached 38.7°C last year (on 30 January 2018) and the 18th-equal warmest for all months in NZ.

Record breaking temperatures in main centres

Two main centres broke their maximum temperature records on 29th January. Hamilton hit 32.9°C, beating the old mark of 32.6°C set in March 2013 (data since 1940).
n addition, Wellington (Kelburn) reached its all-time maximum the same day, soaring to 30.3°C (data since 1927). This was the first time two main centres broke their all-time maximum temperature records in the same day.

Other record breaking temperatures

Medbury: 37.9 C on 31st Jan (data since 1927)
Waiau: 37.8 C on 31st Jan (data since 1974)
Lake Tekapo: 35.0 C on 31st Jan (data since 1928)
Taumarunui: 34.0 C on 29th Jan (data since 1947)
Upper Hutt: 33.3C on 29th Jan (data since 1939)
Whakatane: 33.3C on 28th (data since 1975)
Te Kuiti: 33.3C on 29th Jan (data since 1959)
Levin: 32.6C on 29th Jan (data since 1895)
Kaitaia Aero: 31.2 C on 29th January (data since 1948)

Record setting morning low

On 27th January, Richmond only dropped to 24.3°C, which is the new warm minimum temperature record for the Wider Nelson region (data since 1862!).

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