File photo. Photo: 123RF
New Zealand is tracking to have one of its top three hottest years on record, says NIWA.
NIWA meteorologist Tristan Meyers said 2022 was the country's warmest year on record, surpassing the record set the year before in 2021.
"Last month didn't add to the record books, with it being the 34th warmest November since NIWA's seven station temperature series began in 1909.
"Although the first half of December had mostly average temperatures, a sultry 33C temperature reading in North Canterbury yesterday marked a hot and humid finish to the year, helping to keep 2023 near the top of the rankings.
Meyers said NIWA would confirm the rankings in its annual climate summary that will be released next month.
Christmas though is looking like a mixed bag.
"Showers and areas of rain look to affect the North Island, while a few showers are possible for the Southern Alps and east of the South Island. However, the West Coast looks drier.
"Parts of the eastern North Island look to also see some temperatures reach the high 20s or low 30s," he said.
Meyers said while Australian wildfires would also keep raging, the smoke being ferried to New Zealand was nowhere near as bad as the 2019-2020 fires, although he cautions Australians are looking at an above-average bushfire season.
"With the peak of the bushfire season still ahead of us, the recent smoke that's made its way to New Zealand may be a sign of things to come later in the summer if more large fires break out."
Further fire restrictions were also being put in place across parts of the South Island.
Restrictions in the Mackenzie Basin have been upgraded to a ban on all open-air fires and fireworks until the end of next March.
Fire and Emergency Mid-South Canterbury was also declaring a restricted fire season for some areas including Rangitata, Ashburton and Rakaia Gorge. Permits will be needed for an open fire.
District Manager Rob Hands said the fire danger was increasing with weather getting warmer and vegetation drying out.
Meanwhile, Thursday's temperatures for the bottom of the South Island will be a bit cooler due to a front moving up.
MetService meteorologist John Law said Dunedin and Invercargill will have early maximum temperatures for Thursday, 23 degrees Celsius and 20C respectively.
But the front will bring cooler air across Otago and to southern parts of Canterbury.
"[There will also be] more cloud and the better chance of some showers across parts of the South Island, mainly down across the far south and about the higher parts of the Southern Alps," said Law.
The top of the South Island such as Blenheim, will reach highs of 29C, keeping hold of that warm air and mostly sunny conditions.
The North Island is set for more dry, fine weather and high temperatures on Thursday.
There will be some morning cloud and an odd shower on the eastern coast of Northland, said Law.
"But again for many of us it's a dry looking day, a touch more cloud around the more western side of the coast down the far south there for Wellington up towards the Kāpiti Coast," he said.
Napier and Gisborne will have highs of 29C, Auckland will reach 26C and Wellington is also set to have a warm day with a high of 20C.
