November was marked by abnormally high temperatures and unpredictable wet weather

Last month was the warmest November on record, with Spring as a whole being the second warmest, with data going back to 1909.

Warm northeasterly winds and with above average sea temperatures drove up the heat by 1.20 degrees across much of the country.

NIWA forecaster says for most of the country rainfall was near normal, but extreme weather events hiked up the total in some places.

She says in Gisborne, one event saw more than half of the expected spring total rainfall arrive over a few days.