Wairoa breaks record for warmest November temperatures
Wairoa set a new record for November temperatures as New Zealand experienced its hottest November on record, according to NIWA climate scientists.
Data from NIWA’s Seven-Station Series, which began in 1909, shows that last month’s temperature was 1.55ᵒC above the 30-year average. The previous record for the hottest November on record was jointly reached in 1954 and 2013 when the temperature was 1.38ᵒC above average.
The nationwide average temperature for last month was 15.3C. The warmth was widespread, with many locations throughout the country observing record or near-record mean temperatures for November.
Wairoa recorded a mean maximum temperature for November of 26.2C. This is a new record for New Zealand, exceeding the previous November record of 25.6C (also recorded in Wairoa, in 1953).
On 27 November, Wairoa recorded a high of 34.1C, the equal fourth-highest November temperature on record in New Zealand.
Overall, this year is tracking to be the fourth warmest on record with just on a month to go. If the ranking remains the same it will sit behind 2016, 1999 and 1998 respectively.
However, principal climate scientist Dr Brett Mullan says both 2016 and 1999 experienced colder than normal Decembers, so this year may catch them up depending on the temperatures for the remainder of the year.
"This year will match 2016 (on +0.84ᵒC) for warmest-equal year if the December 2019 anomaly reaches +1.2ᵒC, which is certainly possible. It is also interesting to note that the last 10 days of November averaged +0.5ᵒC above average December temperatures," Dr Mullan says.
