New Zealand's had its coldest January in nearly a decade

NIWA's monthly climate summary shows the average temperature nationwide was 16.4 degrees last month - 0.8 degrees below the average for 1991 to 2020.

Below-average temps were recorded in the central and southern North Island - and much of the South Island except the West Coast.

The west, including Fiordland, had above-average warmth last month.