NZ Engine

Source: Radio New Zealand

2025 was the country’s fourth-hottest year on record, according to Earth Sciences New Zealand’s (ESNZ) annual climate report.

The report found that most regions were hotter than average by between 0.51 and 1.20 degrees, but parts of Northland and Bay of Plenty were significantly hotter, by more than 1.2 degrees.

Leigh, North of Auckland, recorded the highest annual average temperature across the mainland 17.7 degrees, followed by Kaitaia at 17.1, and Whangaparāoa at 16.9.

The highest air temperature of the year was 35.6 degrees recorded at Kawerau on 7 December. This was followed by 33.8 degrees at Napier on 8 December, and 33.7 degrees at Ettrick on 16 February.

The report points out: “Of the six main centres in 2025, Auckland was the warmest, Tauranga was the sunniest and wettest, Christchurch was the equal-coolest, and Dunedin was the driest, equal-coolest, and least sunny.”

The organisation has recorded the annual temperature at seven weather stations across the country since 1909. The report found a nationwide average temperature of 13.51 degrees.

Four of the five warmest years on record have occurred since 2021 as a result of human-induced climate change, it says.

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continued to rise, surpassing 423 ppm at ESNZ’s Baring Head monitoring station during the year.

November was the warmest on record, with most of the country more than 1.2 degrees warmer than average.

Some regions were also much wetter than usual, with several areas of the South Island including Nelson, Marlborough and Banks peninsula receiving 20 to almost 50 percent more rain than usual.

According to the analysis, the ssoil moisture level was below normal for most of the North Island and the northern part of the South for the first quarter of 2025. Soil moisture is a key indicator of droughts and is watched by farmers. By the end of winter moisture was mostly back to normal but dried out in some eastern parts through to the end of November.

The crown for the region with the highest annual sunshine went to Taranaki with 2743 hours recorded at New Plymouth. It was followed by the Nelson region (2672 hours recorded at Richmond).

Sea temperatures were also on the rise.

Local sea surface temperatures were “relatively warm”, says the report and remained pretty much above normal for the year, though there brief cooler patches west of the North Island.

“Most notably New Zealand observed its warmest (sea surface temperatures) November and 5th-warmest April on record.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A lower North Island town with smelly, muddy-tasting tap water will have supplies trucked in from a neighbouring town from next week.

The water in Marton has been unpleasant for many years due to geosmin in the water, which is the breakdown of algae causing a smell and taste that worsens during summer, the Rangitīkei District Council website said.

In an update on social media, the council said the problem was ramping up again.

“As many of you will have noticed, the geosmin levels in Marton’s water supply has been elevated for a number of weeks, which is what causes the smell and taste issues we experience in summer especially,” it said.

“Our reticulation team will continue to fine tune the treatment process of the water to make improvements, but we recognise that it can take some time for the geosmin levels to settle down.”

The council will bring a tanker of water from Hunterville to the Marton RSA and Citizens Memorial Hall each Tuesday and Thursday between 3pm and 6pm, starting 13 January.

People should bring their own containers to collect the water, the council said.

It thanked residents for their patience.

“We know it is frustrating, but rest assured progress is being made towards our new water source solution.”

Rangitīkei District Council is working on switching its supply from surface water to groundwater, which will remove the geosmin: “the main culprit of the taste and smell issues”.

It’s been trialling a bore site at the Tutaenui Reservoir, with engineers due to present results and recommendations to council in February.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Specialist canyon teams are joining the search for a missing tramper in the Kahurangi National Park.

Graham Garnett, 66, failed to return from a hike on December 30.

Police Search and Rescue sergeant Jonny Evans said four specialist canyon teams were being flown into Motueka to assist.

“Search efforts [on Thursday] will focus on spurs and large water systems coming off the Wharepapa/Arthur Range,” he said.

A Defence Force NH90 helicopter was being used again.

Police are asking anyone who was in the Baton/Ellis River area from the afternoon of December 26 to get in touch, particularly anyone who was around Flanagan’s Hut.

Police thanked everyone who had been involved in trying to find Graham Garnett.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Maritime New Zealand is considering a formal investigation after two people were injured in a jetboat crash in Otago.

Emergency services were called to Makarora, in the Queenstown-Lakes district, shortly before 3.30pm on Wednesday.

The injured pair were flown to Dunedin Hospital in a moderate condition.

A Maritime New Zealand spokesperson said the operator has been told not to use, alter or repair the boat until it has been inspected.

The operator has not been suspended and can still use other vessels.

Maritime New Zealand said it was still making initial inquiries with the operator and would decide on whether to start a formal investigation based on what it finds out.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Hastings could hit a whopping 37C over the weekend as hot air from a heatwave in Australia blankets the east coast of New Zealand.

MetService is predicting that many areas will be warm on Thursday, with the weekend reaching temperatures over 30C.

The hottest areas are expected to be the East Cape of the North Island, Gisborne, Wairoa and Hastings.

Hastings Mayor Wendy Schollum said the council was working to ensure residents were prepared.

“Because this can be really dangerous heat, and I don’t think many people are use to it, so the big message we are trying to get out to people is make sure on those really hot days you are drinking plenty of water, taking breaks in the shade and avoiding the hottest part of the day if you can.”

She said the community needed to look out for each other, particularly older people, infants and toddlers who were the most susceptible to heat.

Schollum said fire risk was also a major concern.

“We really need everyone to be conscious, please please please be careful, no fire, we’ve got a complete fire restriction at the moment, if you’ve got fireworks stocked away, no setting those off right now.

“And just also being conscious of anything else you might be doing that could potentially spark a fire, whether that’s using machinery or any of those sorts of activities.”

Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor seconded that sentiment and said it was a risky time for spot fires.

“We are really encouraging people to make sure they have an awareness, obviously of not light fires, but also an awareness if they are using lawnmowers, chainsaws anything that might spark or set off a fire.”

Taylor reminded people that the Wither Hills Farm Park closed when the fire risk was too high.

FENZ warns against complacency

Fire and Emergency warned people were getting complacent and ignoring safety warnings.

Wildfire manager for Fire and Emergency Tim Mitchell told Morning Report incoming winds and hot temperatures would create the “perfect storm” for a fire to start and spread, particularly in the Hawke’s Bay region.

“Over the weekend conditions are really going to ramp up, as a result of an approaching weather system from the west a westerly flow is going to set up… under that westerly flow we are likely going to reduce humidity in those areas, it could go below that 30 percent maybe getting into the low 20’s as well.”

Mitchell said most of New Zealand’s fires were caused by human related activities, so people needed to be cautious when doing anything that could create a spark.

He urged people to avoid activities that could spark a wildfire, including welding, grinding, using cookers and mowing lawns.

“We’re asking the public to accept that there are times when we aren’t able to do these things and actually follow the advice and don’t do those activities during high-risk periods.

“Obviously, it’s the weekend, which is when people mow their lawns. But we need your flexibility around not undertaking high-risk activities.”

Check the checkitsalright website if you were unsure of anything, Mitchell said.

Influx of beachgoers

Surf Lifesaving is preparing for a swarm of beachgoers with hot weather expected across the country.

Surf Lifesaving’s Chris Emmet said it was expecting a busy weekend across its 90 patrolled locations around the country, with hot weather bringing big numbers of people to the beach.

“Lifeguards look forward to this time of year, when there is quite a bit of activity around the beach. We’re really well prepared across the country.”

Emmet said Auckland’s West Coast beaches often saw big crowds and also a high number of incidents.

“The biggest concern for us is people finding a location to swim that’s safe for them. If you’re really hot in Auckland over the next few days, the East Coast will generally be safer than the West Coast.”

He stressed the importance of swimming at patrolled beaches between the flags.

“Patrol hours are generally 10am to 6pm, but some patrols do run a bit later, and if there are big crowds, lifeguards will stay on for a bit longer.”

Hot nights ahead

To add to the high daytime temperatures, MetService said it wouldn’t cool much at night.

“It affects sleep; people can’t sleep well and the body can’t get rest,” MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor told RNZ.

She urged people to keep an eye on heat alerts, especially those working outside as temperatures mount.

“So the weekend is looking hot. That might be great news for people who have been back at work this week and are looking to get to the beach. But it is tough on people working in the heat.”

The temperatures will be mounting but MetService is not expecting them to quite hit the highs of the past. Ruatoria recorded the North Island’s highest January temperature in 1979 when it hit 38.9C.

Highest is expected to be Hastings on 37C on Sunday.

In the South Island, the highest temperatures will also be along the eastern coast with Christchurch, Kaikoura and Timaru forecast to get steadily hotter over the next few days reaching just over 30C throughout the weekend.

Australia’s heatwave driving up New Zealand temperatures

The warm weather is being driven by a heatwave in south-eastern Australia where on Wednesday the region sweltered through its hottest day in years. Firefighters in Victoria and Western Australia continue to battle out-of-control blazes.

Some towns recorded their warmest maximum temperatures in seven years, including Whyalla (45.8 degrees Celsius), Port Augusta (46.3C) and Port Lincoln (44.5C) in South Australia and Warrnambool (41.3C) in Victoria.

Melbourne reached a top of 41C, its highest in six years, while Adelaide recorded a peak of 43C.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Men wearing shorts to work may be a common site these days but there was a time when permission to do so was necessary.

With high temperatures expected in the coming days, BNZ has dug into its archives from 1966 when “sweltering” staff in Gisborne formally requested to wear shorts instead of long pants to work.

On 22 February 1966, the branch manager of the Gisborne BNZ wrote a letter to Head Office, saying: “With the prevalent high temperatures at Gisborne over the summer months, working conditions become most unpleasant.”

The manager suggested male staff be allowed to wear dark shorts with calf-length socks, white shirts with sleeves rolled up, a tie, and either black or brown shoes.

He said “strict control would be exercised to ensure a neat and tidy appearance was maintained” and wrote all other banks in Gisborne were allowing staff to wear shorts.

“One bank allows an open neck shirt, but I do not favour this,” he continued.

To further convince Head Office, the manager attached information about temperatures expected for the summer period.

Head Office ultimately approved the manager’s request but strict rules were to be followed.

There was to be no sandals – shoes only – and the summer attire was to be “at the manager’s discretion”.

Shorts had to be “of reasonable length” and “not in any way offensive to the public”.

Approval for this change was then sent to all branches across the country.

BNZ said the change proved popular – with archive photos through to the 1980s showing staff wearing shorts and shirts with a tie.

“The letter and photos now sit in BNZ’s archives as a snapshot of an era when staying cool at work required creativity rather than air conditioning and modern fabrics.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A person has been seriously injured following an explosion at an industrial property near Motueka.

Emergency services were called to the property shortly after 8am on Thursday.

St John sent one ambulance and one rapid response vehicle to the Little Sydney Street address.

A spokesperson says one person was taken to Nelson Hospital in a serious condition.

Fire and Emergency said there was no fire at the site.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand