Whakatāne has had 1800 hours of sunshine through 31 August, putting it well ahead of all other contenders in the sunshine race.
An additional 170 hours of sunshine during August helped Whakatāne maintain its lead over New Plymouth, which has had 94 fewer hours of sun than Whakatāne this year.
The sunshine hour totals through 31 August 2013 are:
- Whakatāne: 1800
- New Plymouth: 1706
- Blenheim: 1605
- Lake Tekapo: 1591
- Nelson: 1568