Two Northland towns have recorded the lowest July temperatures on record- confirming suspicions that early mornings for the first half of this month have been especially chilly.
Figures released by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research ( Niwa) showed this month's cold snap broke a swathe of temperature records around the country, including those in Kaitaia and Kerikeri.
More than 30 weather stations from Cape Reinga to Stewart Island had daily maximum temperature recordings that were either the lowest recorded, or at least in the top four coldest for July.
Kaitaia's lowest daily minimum was 0C on Saturday morning and Kerikeri's -0.7C on Sunday morning - both the lowest July temperatures since records began in 1948 and 1981 respectively.
Niwa climate scientist Gregor Macara said at the opposite end, the temperature in Cape Reinga was a comparably balmy 10.8C on Friday - the lowest daily maximum July temperature there since 1971. A July lowest daily maximum temperature was also recorded in Kaitaia at 9.6C.