August was unusually mild with warmer winds across most of the country.
NIWA says the month was dominated by more frequent northeasterly winds, leading to wetter conditions in the north and east of both islands, but warmer weather overall.
Several places including Ohakune, Nelson and Westport recorded their warmest August on record. The highest temperature for the month was 22.7 degrees, observed in Christchurch.
Of the main centres: Auckland was the warmest and sunniest, Tauranga was the wettest, Christchurch had the driest weather and Dunedin was the coolest.
