MetService says Wānaka has just experienced its wettest winter on record, recording 351.2mm of rain at Wānaka Airport across June, July and August.

The rainfall eclipses the previous record of 246.8mm recorded during the same months in 1992 and is more than double winter’s historical rainfall of 149.4mm.

“The key message for New Zealand is that when La Niña is active, there is an increased frequency of rain-bringing weather systems approaching from the north,” MetService said in a statement.

La Niña refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific - a weather pattern which occurs every three-to-five years. 

“To make matters worse there has been anomalous high pressure this season east of New Zealand. This has been slowing the departure of weather systems away from New Zealand – usually, lows quickly cross New Zealand,” MetService said.

Rainfall recorded at Wānaka Airport IMAGE: MetService

Other southern areas also broke records with Nelson decimating its previous winter record of 570mm set in 1970 recording 701mm this winter.

Blenheim, Christchurch, Timaru, and Hokitika all set new winter records with Hokitika recording 1,142mm more than 400mm above their winter average.

Alongside the rainfall the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) says this year’s nationwide average winter temperature is the warmest ever recorded across the country.

Winter 2022 was New Zealand's warmest on record. PHOTO: NIWA / Screenshot

Of the country’s ten warmest winters on record, six have occurred since 2013.

Wānaka’s winter temperature ranged from a high of 17.5C on August 5 to a low of -4.9C in June.

Across the country the warmest winter temperature was in Wairoa on August 20 when 24.3C was recorded, while the lowest temperature was recorded at Aoraki/Mount Cook Airport on July 17 at -11.6C.

“Warmer air promotes evaporation and can transport more water vapour around the globe,” MetService said. 

“This means when the atmosphere is warmer, it has the potential to rain more heavily than a cooler atmosphere.”

PHOTO: Wānaka App