Summer shapes up as being one of New Zealand’s hottest

AS the last of the 201819 New Zealand summer weather statistics trickle into Niwa’s computers, climate scientists are predicting it will be one of the top five hottest summers on record.

Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said the official data would be released on Tuesday, but early indications were the average summer temperature would be ‘‘a near record’’ one for parts of Otago and Southland, and New Zealand as a whole.

‘‘We’re crunching the numbers. The data is still trickling into the system and that takes a couple of days to wrap up.

‘‘Based on preliminary work that we’ve been doing over the last couple of weeks, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be a top five finish for New Zealand.

‘‘I know there’s a couple of years that will be jockeying for position in that top five.’’

Helping to drive the overall statistics were average temperatures in Dunedin, Oamaru, Lumsden, Tiwai Point and Southwest Cape, which were also tracking to have a near record warm summer season.

‘‘It’s pretty safe to say they, too, will be in the top five.’’

Mr Noll said it was unlikely this summer would beat the 201718 summer, which was the warmest on record.

‘‘That was so far away from the pack that it would be very tough to beat.’’

The previous record stood for 84 years before being melted away last summer.

The average temperature was 18.8degC — 2.1degC above the 19812010 average.

The figure beat the historical record, previously held by the 193435 summer, of 18.5degC.

Fiftyfour locations around New Zealand— including Dunedin (Musselburgh) and Invercargill — recorded their hottest summer ever.

Thirtynine recorded their secondhottest summer and nine recorded their thirdhottest.

❛ Based on preliminary work that we’ve been doing over the last couple of weeks, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be a top five finish for New Zealand