The battle for this year’s sunniest region is heating up, being fought mainly in the top of the south.
The top contenders are previous winners Marlborough with 2225 hours of sunshine recorded according to NIWA’s October Climate summary.
Close behind in the race is wider Nelson only 15 hours behind coming in at a total 2210 total sunshine hours. The Bay of Plenty is breathing down their neck at 2208 sunshine hours.
Lake Tekapo was crowned 2023 sunniest region racking up a staggering 2658 sunshine hours just edging out this year’s contender Nelson by 19 hours.
Marlborough, some would consider a veteran of the sunniest region game, hasn’t had the title since 2015 and is looking to break that 9 year drought. Taranaki had previously gone back-to-back taking the crown in both 2021 and 2022.
The climate summary uses data from available, regularly reporting sunshine observation sites, but it doesn’t say which specific locations within the regions had recorded the rays.
Some sunniest region enthusiasts have said Marlborough has cursed themselves after displaying a sign reading “New Zealand’s sunniest place” after they took the title but have not won it since, is this the year they finally break the curse?
Photo Credit: The Marlborough Express
