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It's official - the heat is on this summer.
New climate figures show December 2008 was hotter than normal.
Much of the lower North Island enjoyed 10% more sunshine than normal while parts of Canterbury and Hawke's Bay managed an extra 25%, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) figures show.
But they also reveal farmers on the North Island's east coast are facing parched conditions.
Federated Farmers says extremely dry soil and high temperatures mean Gisborne-Wairoa and the Hawke's Bay could be a concern for the organisation by late January.
Spokesman Frank Brenmuhl says some parts of the east coast are as hard as concrete and this could put real pressure on the area.
He says slow, steady rain of more than 100 millimetres needed to soak the soil to turn the situation around.
