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The La Nina weather pattern that has delivered the warmest May since records began is moving out and typical winter weather is on its way.
Towns and cities across the country have had weather more akin to summer than autumn, with average temperatures up almost 2.5 higher than normal.
Auckland hit a record 24.6 degrees at one point this month, but the Hokitika beat that with a high point of 26.7.
In parts of the South Island it has also been a record breaking month for temperatures, although plenty of rain has caused floods and landslips across the top of the island.
Despite a record high of 22.8 degrees Nelson also recorded a huge jump in the usual amount of rainfall, with 226.8mm this month compared to the average of 70.3mm.
NIWA climate scientist James Renwick told ONE News the La Nina weather pattern in the tropical Pacific has played a big role.
"When you have a La Nina things change around the tropics, and the upshot for New Zealand is we normally get more winds from the north than normal...so subtropical air coming down from the region of Fiji and the Coral Sea over New Zealand bring obviously warmer conditions and often a lot of moisture."
La Ninas occur every two or three years, and once every 20 or 30 years there's a particularly strong system. The previous warmest May on record was in 2007, and before that 1999.
Recording began in 1909 and the average temperature of New Zealand has steadily increased, with occasional peaks and troughs.
NIWA says the recent intense La Nina has now taken a nosedive and the warm weather will turn and temperatures will be closer to normal.
"Rainfall and snowfalls for that matter will be pretty typical for winter," said Renwick
Get your local weather forecast here .
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