Despite snow, hail and freezing starts, New Zealand experienced the hottest June on record, according to the National Water and Atmosphere Research Institute (Niwa).

The average temperature for the month was 2 degrees Celsius above average, which has only happened 13 times since 1909.

The best June temperature records were broken at 24 locations across the country, with Hastings hitting 22C on June 26 and Leigh tying that high on June 19.

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Motueka was particularly warm. The average temperature of 10.8 ° C was 3.2 ° C higher than the 1981-2010 average for the South Island city.

Niwa said the record temperatures were due to a flow of hot and humid northern air that swept through New Zealand during the first half of the month.

In the six main centers, Auckland was the hottest and sunniest, Tauranga was the wettest, Christchurch was the coldest and driest, and Dunedin was the least sunny.

June was also wetter than normal for parts of New Zealand, Northland, the interior of the Bay of Plenty, eastern Waikato, Wairarapa, North Canterbury and parts of the ‘Otago and Southland received more than usual level of precipitation.

Central Otago, South Canterbury, Nelson and Tasman received less precipitation than normal.

In late June, a polar explosion from Antarctica brought strong winds, high seas and low snow across New Zealand.

The towns of Taranaki, Stratford and Midhirst, had snow for the first time in 10 years.