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NEW ZEALAND
CLIMATE
New Zealand has
mild temperatures, moderately high rainfall,
and many hours of sunshine throughout most
of the country. New
Zealand's climate is dominated by
two main geographical features
the mountains and
the sea |
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Activity
Tour in
warm and sunshine
To fish for
trout on the North Island
To play golf
To ski the
Southern Alps
To trek the
Milford Track |
Best time to travel
November to
April
October to April
All year round
July to October
November to
April |
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Temperature |
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New
Zealand has a largely temperate
climate. While the far north has
subtropical weather during
summer, and inland alpine areas
of the South Island can be
cold in winter, most of the
country lies close to the coast,
which means mild temperatures,
moderate rainfall, and abundant
sunshine.
Because New Zealand lies in the
Southern Hemisphere, the average
temperature decreases as you
travel south. The far north of
the country has an average
temperature of about
60 degrees, while
the deep south has a cooler
45 degree
average. January and February
are the warmest months of the
year, and July is the coldest
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Sunshine |
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Most places in
New Zealand receive over 2000 hours of
sunshine a year, with the sunniest areas —
Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay and
Nelson/Marlborough — receiving over 2350
hours. As New Zealand observes daylight
saving, during summer months daylight can
last until 9.00pm. New Zealand
experiences relatively little air pollution
compared to many other countries,
this
makes the UV rays in the sunlight very
strong during the summer months. In order to
avoid sunburn, visitors should wear
sunscreen, sunglasses, and hats when they
are in direct summer sunlight, especially in
the heat of the day (11am — 4pm). While
summer is sunnier than the other seasons,
most regions in New Zealand have a
relatively high proportion of sunlight
during the winter months. |
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Rainfall
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New
Zealand’s average rainfall is high — between
640mm and 1500mm — and evenly spread
throughout the year. As well as producing
areas of stunning native forest, this high
rainfall makes New Zealand an ideal place
for farming and horticulture. |
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Summer |
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New Zealand’s
summer months are December to February,
bringing high temperatures and sunshine.
Days are long and sunny, nights are mild.
Summer is an excellent time for walking in
the bush and a variety of other outdoor
activities. New Zealand’s many gorgeous
beaches are ideal for swimming, sunbathing,
surfing, boating, and water sports during
summer.
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Autumn |
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March to May are
New Zealand’s autumn months. While
temperatures are a little cooler than
summer, the weather can be excellent, and it
is possible to swim in some places until
April. While New Zealand’s native fauna is
evergreen, there are many introduced
deciduous trees. Colorful changing leaves make
autumn a scenic delight,
especially in regions such as
Central Otago and Hawke’s Bay,
which are known for their autumn
splendor.
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Winter |
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New Zealand’s
winter months of June to August bring colder
weather to much of the country, and more
rain to most areas in the North Island.
Mountain ranges in both islands become
snow-covered, providing beautiful vistas and
excellent skiing. While the South Island has
cooler winter temperatures, some areas of
the island experience little rainfall in
winter, so this is an excellent time to
visit glaciers, mountains, and other areas
of scenic beauty. |
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Spring |
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Spring lasts
from September to November, and New
Zealand’s spring weather can range from cold
and frosty to quite hot. During spring,
buds, blossoms, and other new growth bursts
forth throughout the country and new born
lambs frolic in the fields just before
dusk. Both Alexandra in Central Otago and
Hastings in Hawke’s Bay
celebrate spring with a blossom
festival. If you’re into white
water rafting, this is the time
when melting spring snow makes
river water levels excitingly
high!
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REGIONAL TEMPERATURES
- CLIMATE CHART |
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Mean daily
maximum/minimum
temperatures in Celsius
and Fahrenheit |
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Spring
Sep, Oct, Nov |
Summer
Dec, Jan, Feb |
Autumn
Mar, Apr, May |
Winter
Jun, Jul, Aug |
Bay of Islands |
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Temp (C) |
19/9 |
25/14 |
21/11 |
16/7 |
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Temp (F) |
67/48 |
76/56 |
70/52 |
61/45
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Rain days |
11 |
7 |
11
|
16 |
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Auckland |
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Temp (C) |
18/11 |
24/12
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20/13 |
15/9 |
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Temp (F) |
65/52 |
75/54 |
68/55 |
59/48
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Rain days |
12 |
8 |
11 |
15 |
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|
Rotorua |
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Temp (C) |
17/7 |
24/12 |
18/9 |
13/4
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Temp (F) |
63/45 |
75/54
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65/48
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55/39
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Rain days |
11 |
9 |
9
|
13
|
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Wellington |
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Temp (C) |
15/9 |
20/13
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17/11
|
12/6
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Temp (F) |
59/48 |
68/55
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63/52
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54/43
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Rain days |
11 |
7
|
10 |
13
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Christchurch |
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Temp (C) |
17/7 |
22/12
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18/8
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12/3 |
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Temp (F) |
63/45 |
72/54 |
65/46 |
54/37
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Rain days |
7 |
7 |
7 |
7 |
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Queenstown |
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Temp (C) |
16/5 |
22/10 |
16/6 |
10/1
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Temp (F) |
61/41 |
72/50 |
61/43 |
50/34
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Rain days |
9 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
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