Climate of New Zealand

New Zealand has a mild and temperate maritime climate with mean annual temperatures ranging from 10 °C (50 °F) in the south to 16 °C (61 °F) in the north.Historical maxima and minima are 42.4 °C (108.3 °F) in Rangiora, Canterbury and −25.6 °C (−14.08 °F) in Ranfurly, Otago. Conditions vary sharply across regions from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and the Mackenzie Basin of inland Canterbury and subtropical in Northland. Of the seven largest cities, Christchurch is the driest, receiving on average only 640 millimetres (25 in) of rain per year and Auckland the wettest, receiving almost twice that amount. Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch all receive a yearly average in excess of 2,000 hours of sunshine. The southern and south-western parts of the South Island have a cooler and cloudier climate, with around 1,400–1,600 hours; the northern and north-eastern parts of the South Island are the sunniest areas of the country and receive approximately 2,400–2,500 hours.

Rainfall


New Zealand climates range from semi-arid in Central Otago, with around 300 mm of rain a year, to decidedly wet (up to 8000 mm) in places west of the Southern Alps. Most New Zealand cities receive between 650 mm (as in Christchurch) and 1500 mm (Whangarei) of precipitation annually.




Temperature


Summer: In the mid-twenties Celsius over most of the country. May rise to 30°C in the east, often due to the Fohn winds.
Winter: Generally between ten and fifteen Celsius in the North Island, five and ten Celsius in the South Island. The lowest temperature ever recorded was -25.6°C at Ranfurly in Otago in 1903.




Tropical cyclones


New Zealand is hit by a tropical cyclone once every eight to nine years. Cyclone Bola was one of the costliest cyclones in the history of New Zealand, causing severe damage as an extratropical cyclone when it passed near the country in March 1988.



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