Dunedin, Balclutha, break records for sunniest February

Dunedin and Balclutha have broken decades-long records with their sunniest February.

The city was also the sunniest of New Zealand's six main centres, the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) national climate centre February summary said.

Dunedin recorded an "exceptional" 245 hours of bright sunshine during the month - 160% of normal, climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said.

Records began for the city in 1947.

"In contrast, it was a rather cloudy month for Auckland, the Waikato and Taranaki.

For the remainder of the country, February sunshine levels were close to normal."

Otago centres also experienced near record mean maximum daily air temperatures with Wanaka recording 26.5degC (3.8degC above normal), Dunedin 22.3degC (1.6degC above normal), Cromwell 27.4degC (3.2degC above normal) and Alexandra 26degC (2.2degC above normal).

Cromwell experienced a maximum daily high temperature of 34.2degC on February 5, the fourth highest since records began in 1949.

However, Dunedin was also the wettest and coldest of the main centres, even though its 37mm rainfall was only 59% of normal.

Wellington had 33mm of rain and Auckland 9mm.

The city's mean temperature of 15.7degC, while .5degC above average, was below Wellington's 17.2degC and Auckland's 20.6degC.

Dunedin and Balclutha also recorded their lowest daily minimum air temperatures since records began.

The city experienced 1.3degC on the 16th and Telford 1degC on the 8th.

The city also recorded its second lowest mean minimum daily air temperature of 7.9degC, 1degC lower than normal.