New Zealand's summer heatwave by the numbers - where was the highest temperature recorded?

Hanmer Springs topped the temperature charts during this week's heatwave - hitting 38.4 degrees Celsius yesterday.

NIWA has published data from the heatwave, which also revealed Hamilton (32.9 degrees) and Wellington (30.3 degrees) had their hottest days on record, on January 29.

"This was the first time two main centres broke their all-time maximum temperature records in the same day," NIWA said in a statement.

Hanmer's temperature was the highest since data started being collected in 1906, and was the 18th-equal highest temperature on record. 

On January 27, Richmond, near Nelson, only dropped to 24.3 degrees, which is a new warm minimum temperature record for the wider region, since data was first collected in 1862.

Other towns and regions to set new records were:

Medbury: 37.9 ˚C on 31st Jan (data since 1927)
Waiau: 37.8 ˚C on 31st Jan (data since 1974)
Lake Tekapo: 35.0 ˚C on 31st Jan (data since 1928)
Taumarunui: 34.0 ˚C on 29th Jan (data since 1947)
Upper Hutt: 33.3˚C on 29th Jan (data since 1939)
Whakatane: 33.3˚C on 28th (data since 1975)
Te Kuiti: 33.3˚C on 29th Jan (data since 1959)
Levin: 32.6˚C on 29th Jan (data since 1895)
Kaitaia Aero: 31.2 ˚C on 29th January (data since 1948)