A climate scientist says New Zealand has experienced the warmest winter since the late 1800s, when reliable records began.
Jim Salinger says September-like temperatures have been occurring in August, with this month and winter overall being the warmest ever.
He says the mean temperature for this winter season has been 9.5 degrees Celsius - 1.2 degrees above normal.
Dr Salinger says the previous warmest winter was in 1998, with a mean temperature of 9.3 degrees.
