Summer record

Anyone who thought January 29 was an especially hot day in Kaitaia wasn’t imagining things. The maximum temperature that day, 31.2 degrees Celsius (as recorded by Niwa), was the highest since records began in 1948.

According to Niwa’s summary of summer’s climatic highlights, it was one of 17 maximum summer air temperature records set around the country in January, with another (in Rotorua) on February 13.

Kerikeri also recorded 31.2 degrees, on January 6, its equal third-highest.

Kerikeri’s mean air temperature for summer, 20.1 degrees, was its thirdhighest, and Kaitaia’s 20.3 degrees its fourth-highest, while Kerikeri’s mean maximum air temperature, 25.5 degrees, was its second-highest. Kaikohe’s mean maximum, 24.1 degrees, was its fourth-highest.