But this morning, like the week so far, it reached 4.5C.
"It has been, on average, warmer, especially than what we have been having. The last couple weeks of July, pretty much almost every main centre was colder than average. So maybe that's why it's feeling so warm."
Although up to 4C warmer overnight "wasn't a huge amount" it covered the whole of the North Island and upper South Island.
"That's just the northerlies bringing warmer air in."
And it was set to continue with similar weather forecast over the weekend.
"Taupo, Gisborne, Thames, Whitianga, Te Kuiti, Wainuiomata, Palmerston North are looking warmer than average over the next couple of days.
"There's more cloud about, which helps keep any warmth [from] radiating out at night. It directs it back down so we don't lose quite as much heat in the evening and overnight."
The only downside to the northerlies was the wet weather.
"There's always a downside."
MetService's Georgina Griffiths already predicted "warm and wet" weather for most regions in her monthly forecast on its website.
However, the country's eastern regions - Gisborne down to Otago - would cop a fair amount of rain but it would be in the "near normal range".
"Temperatures in August are typically very changeable. However, the monthly average temperature is forecast to be slightly warmer than usual (average to above average) for most of the country.
"The notable exception is inland Southland and Otago, where near average temperatures are predicted."
