Temperature and rainfall records toppled around the South as New Zealand had its second-equal warmest autumn since records began.
It follows the third-warmest May on record.
Niwa meteorologist Tristan Meyers said temperatures were well above average (greater than 1.2degC above average) across the West Coast, Southland, Otago and the Canterbury high country during autumn, while rainfall totals were below normal for parts of Canterbury and Otago, and well below normal for Waitaki and Dunedin.
The combination caused meteorological drought in parts of Otago and Southland, which developed in late summer and worsened in March before easing at the start of May.
Autumn 2022 was characterised by higher-than-normal air pressure over much of New Zealand and east of the country - typical of La Nina, which caused an easterly flow anomaly, Mr Meyers said.
A lack of cold frontal systems, when combined with easterly flow anomalies, caused several dry and sunny spells in the West Coast, Southland, Otago and Canterbury high country.
"The exceptionally warm autumn that the country experienced can be attributed to record and near-record warm sea-surface temperatures, higher-than-normal pressure, a persistently positive southern annular mode and global climate change."
New autumn mean air temperature records were set at Franz Josef (14.1degC), Haast (14.3degC), Queenstown (12.8degC), Puysegur Point (13.9degC), Secretary Island (14.7degC), Oban (Stewart Island) (12.5degC), Invercargill (12.2degC), Milford Sound (12.9degC), Mt Cook Village (11.2degC), Te Anau (11.8degC) and Middlemarch (11.7degC).
Setting their second-highest autumn mean air temperatures were Wanaka Airport (12.6degC), Gore (11.9degC), Roxburgh (12.7degC), Dunedin (Musselburgh, 13.3degC), Manapouri (West Arm Jetty, 11.1degC), Ranfurly (10.7degC), Tiwai Point (12.7degC), Five Rivers (11.4degC) and Nugget Point (12.2degC).
Recording their lowest autumn rainfall totals were Middlemarch (30mm), Mt Cook Airport (314mm).
Clyde (39mm), Dunedin (Musselburgh, 66mm), Ranfurly (42mm) and Balclutha (93mm) recorded their second lowest; Cromwell (37mm) and Oban (Stewart Island, 268mm) recorded their third lowest; and Oamaru recorded its fourth lowest with 53mm.
