Timaru reached temperatures hotter than Rarotonga over the Easter weekend, topping the April weather records at 30.6C on Sunday.
Unseasonably hot and dry weather was felt by much of the South Island including Dunedin, Christchurch and Oamaru.
Coupled with strong winds, the conditions prompted an urgent warning of extreme fire danger from Fire and Emergency.
Chris Brandolino is a NIWA weather scientist.