Dunedin may have had its second-hottest January on record but it was still the coolest of the country's main centres.
January was a ''month of two halves'', with the first half subjected to heavy rainfall due to northwesterly winds. The second half was characterised by an ''intense blocking high,'' which was slow moving, Niwa climate scientist Georgina Griffiths said. It meant it was a wet January across most of the South Island, with rainfall more than 150% of January normal from Queenstown to Gore, and in Central Otago.
In contrast, Clyde recorded the highest temperature nationwide for the month at a township record-equalling 35.1degC on January 5. Dunedin's mean temperature was 15.8degC, 0.5degC above average, but nearly 2degC below the next coolest city, Wellington, on 17.2degC.
Dunedin's sunshine hours for last month were its third-highest for January, at 237 hours, but the other five centres, Christchurch, Wellington, Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland, were sunnier.
The city received 67mm of rain, which was near normal. Wellington was the wettest city with 88mm.
