2024 was Aotearoa New Zealand’s 10th-warmest year on record. The 2024 nationwide average temperature calculated from NIWA’s seven station series was 13.25C, being 0.51C above the 1991-2020 annual average. Of New Zealand’s 10 warmest years on record, eight have occurred since 2013 (Figure 1). The ongoing warming trend observed both locally and globally is consistent with human-caused climate change. This is largely driven by human greenhouse gas emissions. Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels continue to rise, surpassing 420 ppm at NIWA’s Baring Head monitoring station during 2024.

Data from NIWA’s seven station series shows eight months of 2024 had temperatures that were well above average (>1.2°C above the monthly average) or above average (0.5-1.2°C above the monthly average). December and January were the country’s warmest months compared to normal, at 1.5°C and 1.3°C above the 1991-2020 monthly average, respectively. Meanwhile, May and March were relatively cool, recording mean temperatures of 1.3°C and 1.0°C below the 1991-2020 monthly average, respectively. March and May were just the second and third months to have below average national temperatures (0.5-1.2°C below the monthly average) since May 2017.

In early 2024, a weakening El Niño event in the equatorial Pacific delivered more westerly (summer 2023- 24) and southwesterly (autumn) winds than normal over New Zealand. ENSO-neutral conditions prevailed from June to December. New Zealand had more easterly and northeasterly winds than normal during winter, while spring was characterised by more westerly winds than normal. The prevalence of west southwest winds contributed to a dry year for many northern and eastern areas of the country, as these areas are relatively sheltered from weather systems arriving from the west-southwest. The dryness was exceptional in some locations, with Dargaville and Whitianga each observing their driest year on record. A further eight locations observed near-record low annual rainfall totals.

Several extreme rainfall events occurred throughout the year, with four local state of emergency declarations (Westland District in January, Wairoa in June, Dunedin and Clutha District in October, and Westland District in November). The southern South Island was exposed to frequent rain-bearing systems during the year, and the Ministry for Primary Industries announced a medium-scale adverse event classification for Southland and the Clutha District in October due to persistently wet conditions. Most notably, Lumsden observed its wettest year since records began in 1982.

Settled weather was a feature of July, with a blocking high pressure system in place for several weeks. The strength of the high pressure peaked on 10 July, when Ranfurly (Otago) registered a mean sea level air pressure (MSLP) of 1046.5 hPa – which is mainland New Zealand’s highest MSLP measurement on record.

Local and regional sea surface temperatures (SSTs) have an important influence on weather conditions in New Zealand. In 2024, local SSTs were cooler compared to recent years, dipping below normal for the first time since early 2021 during autumn. This contributed to the cooler than average air temperatures the country observed during March and May. By mid-late winter, local SSTs returned to above normal and remained that way for much of the rest of the year. Local SSTs were most unusually warm during late January to early-February, peaking at 2.1°C above average off the west of the North Island. Local SSTs were most unusually cool during April, falling as low as 0.9°C below average off the west of the South Island.

The year in review

The monthly sequence of New Zealand climate was as follows:

January 2024: Warm and dry for many parts of the country

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) across most of the country. Below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) rainfall was observed across northern, western, and southern parts of the North Island, and northern, eastern, and inland parts of the South Island. Above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) rainfall was observed across central and eastern parts of the North Island, and western parts of the South Island.

February 2024: A dry month for many regions

Below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) rainfall occurred in most regions of the country. However, near normal (80-119% of normal) rainfall was observed in parts of central Waikato, inland Manawatū-Whanganui, West Coast, and inland Southland. The remainder of Southland, Fiordland, and Stewart Island observed above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) rainfall. Above average temperatures (0.51-1.20°C above average) were observed in parts of Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, northern Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, southern Marlborough, Canterbury, and north-east Otago. Below average temperatures (0.51-1.20°C below average) covered parts of western Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, West Coast, and northern Fiordland.

March 2024: New Zealand’s coldest March in 12 years

Temperatures were below average (0.51-1.20°C below average) or well below average (>1.20°C below average) for most of the country. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for northern, eastern and southern regions of the North Island, as well as much of the northern and central South Island. Above normal rainfall (120-149% of normal) was observed in parts of Waikato, Fiordland and Southland.

April 2024: Dry in eastern New Zealand, wetter in the west of both islands

Below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) rainfall was observed in eastern Northland, parts of Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, much of the central, eastern, and lower North Island, Tasman, Canterbury, and northern Otago. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) in parts of Taranaki, eastern Marlborough, the central and lower West Coast, Fiordland, and western Southland. Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) in much of Northland, parts of Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula, parts of Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Wellington, Tasman, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.

May 2024: New Zealand’s coldest May in 15 years, dry for much of the country

Temperatures were below average (0.51-1.20°C below average) or well below average (>1.20°C below average) for most of the country. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for most of the South Island, southern and western parts of the North Island, Bay of Plenty, and parts of Waikato and Northland. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for isolated parts of Auckland, and eastern parts of the North Island including Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and southern Wairarapa.

June 2024: Warm and dry for many, wet for some northern and eastern parts of both islands

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) for most of the country. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for inland, western, and southern parts of the North Island, much of Canterbury, the West Coast, western Otago, eastern Southland, and Fiordland. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for northern parts of Northland, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, northern Tasman, eastern Marlborough, and eastern Otago.

July 2024: Mild and dry for much of the country

Above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) temperatures were observed for western and southern parts of Northland, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, and northern, western and coastal parts of the South Island. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for much of the North Island, and parts of Marlborough, Nelson, northern and central Canterbury, West Coast, and Southland. Above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) rainfall was observed in most of Otago, southern Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, and the Bay of Islands.

August 2024: A warm month, wet for western and central parts

Temperatures were near average (±0.50°C of average) or above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) for most of the country, with isolated pockets of well above average (>1.20°C above average) temperatures observed in parts of Northland, Hawke’s Bay, southern Taranaki, and Fiordland. Rainfall was above normal rainfall (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for western, inland, and northern parts of the South Island, as well as lower parts of the North Island, and much of Taranaki. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) for eastern and southern parts of Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, the Central Plateau, coastal Canterbury about and south of Banks Peninsula, and coastal North Otago.

September 2024: Warm and dry for northern and eastern parts of both Islands

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) in parts of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Whanganui, Tararua District, Wellington, Marlborough, much of Canterbury, and eastern Otago. Temperatures were below average (0.51-1.20°C below average) for parts of Fiordland and western Southland. Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) in northern, eastern and central parts of the North Island, Tasman, Nelson, western Marlborough, and northern and central parts of Canterbury. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for the lower half of the South Island, the West Coast, parts of Wellington, and Manawatū-Whanganui.

October 2024: A mild month overall, very wet for much of the South Island

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) for most of the North Island, Marlborough, northern and eastern Canterbury, West Coast, Fiordland, and eastern parts of Otago. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) in much of the South Island, southern Wellington, Bay of Plenty, southern and central parts of Waikato, and northwestern parts of Northland. Below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) rainfall was observed in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, southern parts of the Central Plateau, northeastern parts of Wairarapa, and Banks Peninsula.

November 2024: Dry and warm for most of the country

Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for much of the country. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for parts of the West Coast. Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) for most of the country.

December 2024: New Zealand’s 5th-warmest December on record

Temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) throughout the country. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) in eastern and southern parts of the North Island, inland Marlborough, northern, eastern and central parts of Canterbury, parts of the West Coast, and central and eastern parts of Southland. Below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) rainfall was observed in northern, central and western parts of the North Island, Nelson, Tasman, southern Canterbury, and North Otago.

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