Townies are loving it. Farmers are loathing it.
Parts of Otago have had one of the driest, sunniest and warmest summers since records began, Niwa climate figures show.
In particular, Dunedin has had its second-driest summer in more than 50 years, and its second-sunniest summer in 35 years.
Niwa climate scientist Nava Fedaeff said the predominance of anticyclones from December to February resulted in almost the entire country receiving below normal (50%-79%) rainfall.
Areas significantly affected included eastern parts of Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough, which consistently received less than half the normal amount of rainfall over summer.
''Consequently, a medium-scale drought event was declared on February 12 for these regions,'' the Auckland scientist said.
As of March 1, soil moisture levels were still below normal, she said.
While farmers have struggled to feed stock, city residents have been basking in the sunshine.
Dunedin recorded just 99mm of rain during the summer months - 48% of the normal amount.
It was the city's second-lowest summer rainfall total since records began in 1962.
Alexandra also recorded low summer rainfall - 85mm (60%) - its fourth-lowest total since records began in 1983.
Dunedin recorded 655 hours of sunshine - the second-highest number of sunshine hours since records began in 1980.
It was more than 130 hours more than normal.
Balclutha recorded 704 sunshine hours - 141 more than usual and the third-highest on record since 1964.
Summer got off to a cool start during the first half of December, but temperatures ramped up during the second half of the month and into a particularly warm January, Miss Fedaeff said.
Ranfurly recorded a mean maximum air temperature of 23.3degC over the summer months - its highest since records began in 1975.
It also recorded a mean air temperature of 15.9degC, also its highest figure, Miss Fedaeff said.
''National temperatures eased back to near average during February, as the frequent northeasterlies experienced during the first two summer months abated, and weak southwesterlies ensued.''
Although it has been one of the warmest summers on record, temperatures also dropped to some of their lowest on record for parts of Otago during the summer, she said.
Ophir recorded its lowest summer temperature since records began in 1924, with -4.1degC on December 2, 2014.
On the same day, Alexandra recorded its lowest summer temperature (-0.1degC) since its records began in 1992, and Naseby recorded -2.1degC - its second-lowest summer temperature since records began in 1983.
Despite the MetService forecasting rain in Otago for much of next week, the longer term outlook is not so good for farmers.
The weather is expected to return to ''relatively dry conditions'' in the South Island for the remainder of March, with ''near average temperatures and near normal or below normal rainfall'' expected for eastern parts of the region.
