About NZ - Weather

New Zealand Weather

New Zealand is in the Southern Hemisphere, which of course means mid summer is at Christmas time while mid winter is June/July. The climate is oceanic temperate. Given the small land mass relative to the expanse of ocean around New Zealand, the seasonal variations in New Zealand weather are smaller than continental North America or mainland Europe.

North Island has a warm mild climate, almost sub-tropical in the extreme north. Auckland average summer temperature (January) is about 21C / 70F and winter is 11C / 52F . Annual rainfall in North Island is around 125-150cm / 50-60ins , the west receiving slightly more rain than the east.

South island is colder, Dunedin has average summer temperatures of about 15C / 59F and winter 6C / 43F. The contrast in rainfall across South Island is much greater due to the Southern Alps and varies from 300cm / 120ins on the west coast to 65cm / 25ins on the Canterbury Plains and Christchurch.

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