New Zealand Climate

NZ Seasons And Weather In New Zealand

New Zealand climate is strongly influenced by the geography of New Zealand and its geological features.

Consisting of two large islands New Zealandstretches around 2000 km from north to south. This fact issues the names North Island and South Island. Spread around are in some distance small islands. The closest inhabited ones are Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf on the North Island and Stuart Island separated by Foveaux Strait at the very south of South Island.

New Zealand Seasons

Located in the southern hemisphere New Zealand seasons reverse. Christmas is celebrated during summer time with a blooming New Zealand Christmas tree as its symbol. The summer is from December to February, autumn from March to May, winter from June to August, and spring from September to November.

In comparison to New Zealand’s land masses the coast line is long with 15,134km, the farthest distance of any place by 120km. So New Zealand climate is predominantly a maritime one.

Weather in Auckland

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The temperatures in winter in Auckland are between 8 C° and 15 C° and in summer between 15 C° and 23 C°. Average rainfall in winter reaches 135 mm with 15 wet days and in summer 77mm with 8 wet days. The Beauty on wet days in Auckland is it means wet for a short period of time with sunshine following afterwards.

North Island has up to 2350 sunshine hours per year. Spread over a day it is almost six and a half hours of sun each day to spend plenty of time with outdoor things to do in Auckland and on the city's popular beaches and hikes. 

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During spring and summer months the sun’s UV rays are obdurate and urge to protect your skin on holidays in New Zealand.

Weather in New Zealand

It is erratic within a short time between sun, wind, and rain. While travelling it is advantageous to dress in layers for easy adjustment.

The temperature is generally reflected in the subtropical climate of the North and the moderate one of the South. In Northland a winter low is reached by 8 C° and an average summer high with 24 C°. In Southland an average low in winter is 1 C° and a summer high 18 C°. In higher altitudes like Mt. Cook New Zealand’s highest mountain, and the Southern Alps the temperatures can be lower.

The driest region of South Island is in Canterbury and Otago. On the North Island it is Hawke’s Bay.

The average rainfall reaches its peak on the North Island at Mt. Taranaki/ Egmont. On the South Island Fiordland is the rainfall level the highest.

Snow will be sighted in mountainous areas during winter months to mid spring. On the North Island the volcano Mt. Taranaki/ Egmont will be white capped meanwhile Mt.Ruapehu in North Island and Cardrona in South Island represent New Zealand’s ski resorts. The skiing season runs from mid June to mid October. 

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Other than that Canterbury region around Christchurch has some short periods of snow further south it can last longer. At the very north of North Island it is never snowing.

For those working outdoors or simply seeking a better understanding of NZ weather the book of Erich Brenstrum is a classic lecture.

The region with the highest concentration on blasts of wind reaching 60hkm is Wellington the capital of New Zealand which provoked in the nick name "windy Wellington".

All in all New Zealand climate is privileged with many hours of sunshine and some spontaneous weather surprises.

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