Christchurch warmer than average

Though temperatures cooled off a bit at the end of the year, Canterbury was hotter than normal through most of 2019.

The region also saw some wild weather, notably a tornado in November.

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) meteorologist Maria Augutis said temperatures in Canterbury were ‘‘well above average’’ during the summer of 2018-19, driven by warm seas. ‘‘Some coastal areas around Canterbury experienced marine heatwave conditions for a time during summer.’’

Autumn was also above average in temperature, due to northerly winds caused by high air pressures over the South Island and the ocean to the east of it, and continued warm seas.

Spring was about average for both temperature and rainfall, which Augutis said was caused by low air pressure over the south and east of New Zealand.

December started with warmer temperatures than normal in coastal areas but cooler inland. Rainfall was also above average in some places.

For Christchurch, January’s mean temperature of 19.2 degrees Celsius was 2C above normal, and the fourth highest on record for that month. There was snow in the mountains on January 24 as the temperature dropped from 33.4C to 8C in just 16 hours.

The city was much drier than usual in February, with only 19 millimetres of rain falling. About 44mm of rain normally falls in February.

March equalled New Zealand’s second warmest March on record. Temperatures in Christchurch were well above average, and there was less rain than normal.

The country’s highest temperature of September was in Christchurch on the 29th, when the barometer climbed to 25.8C. In November, the mean temperature in the Garden City was 15.5C – 2C above normal. November 4 was the fourth-warmest November day recorded since 1863, reaching 31.4C.