Climate & Weather in New Zealand

New Zealand's climate is moderate maritime featuring mild temperatures, moderately high rainfall, and a lot of sunshine throughout most of the country. The climate in the north of the country tends towards sub-tropical while the south tends towards temperate. The weather is influenced by the surrounding seas and can change rapidly.

New Zealand has four seasons, and because the country is situated in the Southern Hemisphere, the warmest months are December, January and February, and the coldest are June, July and August.

The South Island has a wet, rainy weather on the western side of the mountains, with around 750 cm / 295 in of rainfall per year, and a dry climate on the eastern side, with around 33 cm / 13 in of rainfall per year. The North Island experiences similar differences but much less pronounced.

During summer months New Zealand enjoys high temperatures, long days, lots of sunshine during the day and mild temperatures at night. Winters are characterized by colder weather, more rain in the North Island and less rain in many areas of the South Island.

Weather Averages in New Zealand