The NZPA is reporting in the Dominion Post that New Zealand has experienced the warmest August since records began in the late 1860s. Average temperatures for August were 1.7 C higher than normal.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“It’s not global warming, it’s just good weather – last month was the warmest August New Zealand has seen since temperatures were first recorded 155 years ago.
“New Zealanders could thank strong westerly winds coming off Australia for an average temperature almost 2degC warmer than usual, said Auckland climate scientist Jim Salinger.
“The average temperature for New Zealand last month was 10.4degC, which gave the normally wintery month the kind of temperatures usually seen in spring.”