Was 2024 warmer than 2023? Which places in New Zealand had the most sunshine hours for 2024?

Niwa climate scientists said 2024 was New Zealand’s 10th-warmest year on record, based on Niwa’s seven-station series which began in 1909.

The Annual Climate Summary 2024 which was released by the scientists on Wednesday, covers rainfall, wind speed, temperatures, soil moisture, sunshine hours, monthly temperature highlights, record-breaking winter temperatures, droughts and dry spells, memorable rainfall events, climate drivers, sea surface temperatures, the role of climate change, and the country’s “sunshine champions”.

Marlborough claimed the title of NZ’s sunniest spot in 2024 with 2769 hours of sunshine, recorded at Blenheim.

Richmond and the wider Nelson area had 2760 hours, and coming in third place is Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty, with 2734 sunshine hours during 2024.

The 2024 nationwide average temperature calculated from Niwa’s seven-station series was 13.25 degrees Celsius, being 0.51 degrees above the 1991-2020 annual average.

The year was warm for most, and dry for northern and eastern areas of the country.

Annual temperatures were above average for much of Northland, northern Waikato, Bay of Plenty, coastal Hawke’s Bay, southern Taranaki, Whanganui, eastern and southern Wairarapa, Tasman, inland northern Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, and eastern Otago. Annual temperatures were near average elsewhere.

Monthly temperature anomalies from Niwa’s seven-station series relative to the 1991-2020 average. Graph/ Niwa

Rainfall

Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of the annual normal) for much of eastern and northern Canterbury, Tasman, Wairarapa, Bay of Plenty, the Coromandel Peninsula, and Northland.

Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of the annual normal) for western parts of Otago, and inland and western parts of Southland. Near normal annual rainfall (80-119% of the annual normal) was typically observed elsewhere.

A summary of the highs and lows of New Zealand weather during 2024. Image/Niwa.

Soil moisture

From January to May, soil moisture levels were below normal for many parts of the country.

In March, the Ministry for Primary Industries classified the drought conditions in Northland, Taranaki, Manawatū-Whanganui, Wairarapa, Wellington, Marlborough, Tasman, and Nelson as a medium-scale adverse event.

By the end of winter, soil moisture levels had recovered such that near-normal levels were observed for all except isolated parts of Central Otago which had above-normal soil moisture.

By the end of September, lower-than-normal soil moisture levels emerged in eastern parts of the North Island, particularly Hawke’s Bay, and this persisted through most of the remainder of the year.

New Zealand's seven-station annual temperature, minus the 1991-2020 average. Image/Niwa.

Above-normal soil moisture levels emerged for much of Southland and Otago during September, and these persisted to the end of November.

At the end of December, below-normal soil moisture was widespread for northern, central and western parts of the North Island. In contrast, soil moisture levels were above normal for eastern parts of the North Island, Christchurch, Banks Peninsula, and southern parts of Southland.

To download the full Niwa 2024 Annual Climate Summary go to Annual Climate Summary 2024 | Niwa