Canterbury town records New Zealand's highest temperature in seven years

It's been hot in the North Canterbury town of Waiau today. 

So hot, in fact, the mercury has hit the highest temperature in New Zealand in the last seven years.

NIWA said a weather station in Waiau recorded a temperature of 37 degrees.

It's the warmest temperature recorded in NZ since February 6 2011, when Timaru hit a scorching 41.3 degrees. 

It was also the warmest January temperature recorded since January 24 2009, which it hit 37 degrees in Culverden. 

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