The last month of summer officially in New Zealand, often brings the hottest weather but not necessarily  the driest. Thunderstorms and heavy downpours, which is what we’ve seen over the last week across parts of the North island, are also commonplace at this time of the year.

Even though the long summer evenings are beginning to slowly draw in, sticky nights in the north can be at their most intense during the second month of the year. Overnight lows can hover around the low 20s but with the added humidity, it feels considerably warmer and for some it’s unpleasant  as sleep can be a challenge in those conditions.

The hottest temperatures in the country have been recorded during February when in 1973, parts of Canterbury and Marlborough hit the low 40s. It’s unlikely that the mercury will climb to those sort of maximums but it can’t be completely discounted.
The summer so far has been variable for many parts with warm and humid conditions in the north and some chilly and damp spells in the south.
It seems this pattern may well continue off and on as the month progresses.