Christchurch has sweltered through the hottest January since records began in 1863. NIWA's monthly climate summary released recently shows the city recorded a mean temperature of 19.9 degrees in January, which is 2.7 degrees more than the normal.
Overall, January 2018 was New Zealand’s hottest month on record with a mean temperature of 20.3 degrees. Mean temperatures were well above average throughout New Zealand. Notably, over half of New Zealand’s regularly reporting stations observed mean temperatures at least three degrees above their January average.
In what can be described as a disturbing trend – pointing toward global warming – according to NIWA, January 2018 is the fourth month in the 21st century to have a nationwide temperature more than two degrees above average, after February 2016, May 2016 and December 2017.