Richmond is officially one of the best places in the country to enjoy the sun, finishing second in the sunshine stakes for 2023.
While Tekapo leapt past Richmond in the last days of the year to record 2,658 hours of sun, the Nelson region, which Niwa records at Richmond, recorded 2,639 sunny hours.
Third place with 2,574 hours went to Tasman which Niwa records at Tākaka. While Niwa may not realise Richmond is also in Tasman, it enabled the region to score two of the top three places for sunshine last year.
The region was fortunate, because 2023 was the country’s fourth cloudiest year on record while Tasman bathed in sunshine more than most.
Appleby also featured in Niwa’s 2023 report because it registered its highest mean maximum air temperature since records began in 1932. At 19.2 degrees celsius, it was 1.2 degrees above its average.
It also recorded its highest daily minimum temperature on record since 1941 with 20.9 degrees on 5 February and several other record minimums through the year.
Overall, 2023 was New Zealand’s second-warmest year on record, based on Niwa’s recordings from seven stations including Nelson. New Zealand’s three warmest years on record have all occurred in the past three years. Globally, 2023 was also the warmest year on record.
