Scientists have confirmed what most of us had probably already suspected - that 2016 was the country's hottest year since records began the early 20th century.
In the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research's (NIWA), annual climate summary on Monday, it revealed rising sea temperatures around New Zealand were responsible for the warmest temperatures since 1909.
It also revealed the first seven months of 2016 were remarkably hot, with each month's nationwide average temperature above normal.
The three warmest months were February (2.2degC above average), May (2.1degC) and June (1.6degC).
"At the start of the year we had quite a strong El Nino in place," says NIWA's Gregor Macara.
"El Nino generally brings warmer temperatures so we were anticipating that it would bring warm, but not exactly sure that we were going to get as warm we got."
2016 brought New Zealand's warmest May, second-warmest February and third-warmest June on record.
Meanwhile January, September, November and December hit their target averages, while August failed to heat up at all.
The nationwide average temperature for 2016 was 13.4degC - 0.8degC above the 1981-2010 annual average.
Mr Macara says there were three main ingredients making the country cook last year.
"First one we had really warm sea surfaces around the country, secondly we had more northerly warm winds, which brings that warm air down from the tropics too, and finally climate change was that third factor."
Worldwide, 2016 was the hottest year in history, breaking records set in 2015, and it looks to be a trend that will continue in New Zealand.
"Despite this being the warmest we've ever had on record probably we'll look back in future and think that was quite a moderate year," Mr Macara says.
"We can probably anticipate more warmer years like this as opposed to cooler years."
For the next few months NIWA says Northland and East Coast regions can expect higher than average temperatures, while the rest of the country will have to make do with being average.
Temperature
Annual temperatures were above average (0.51degC to 1.20degC above the annual average) throughout the country, with very few locations observing near average temperatures (within 0.5degC of the annual average) or lower.
Rainfall
Yearly rainfall in 2016 was above normal (120-149 percent of the annual normal) for parts of Kapiti Coast, Tasman, West Coast and Fiordland. In contrast, rainfall was below normal (50-79 percent of the annual normal) in parts of the eastern North Island south of Napier, and in parts of the eastern South Island north of Christchurch.
Sunshine
Annual sunshine was predominately near normal (90-109 percent of the annual normal) throughout New Zealand, although small sections of the country observed above average sunshine (110-125 percent of the annual normal). Richmond, near Nelson, experienced New Zealand's highest annual sunshine total on record. Sunshine was below normal (75-89 percent of the annual normal) in parts of Bay of Plenty.
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