We’re hottest in NZ! ›

Right now, you're in the hottest place to be in the country.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research's annual climate summary was released yesterday, and Northland centres were the top three warmest in New Zealand in 2009.

Whangarei recorded the highest average temperature over the year. Kaitaia and Kaikohe shared second place.

While see-sawing temperatures characterised the climate of the rest of the country, the situation in Northland was quite clear.

Whangarei recorded the highest annual average temperature last year of 15.8C, compared to the national average of 12.3C.

Kaitaia and Kaikohe recorded the next highest annual average of 15.6C.

The news is confirmation of what most Northlanders already know, and it already forms part of efforts to attract more tourists into the region.

Northland tourism boss Brian Roberts, chief executive of Enterprise Northland, said this latest news could be more ammunition for the arsenal.

He said information about Northland being the hottest region was already on Destination Northland's marketing campaign and would continue in future.

"A lot of activities such as walking and golf could be done in Northland during winter which people can't do in other parts of the country," he said.

"But in summer, we don't get extremes that places like Hawke's Bay, Marlborough and central Otago get."

Posted by Whangarei i-SITE on Mon Jan 18