General Information » Environment » Climate

New Zealand has a climate as complex as its beautiful landscape. It ranges from subtropical in the central and upper North Island to downright chilly in the south, where the gentle shift of all four seasons is more readily observed.

In general, New Zealand’s mild, variable climate makes it ideal to visit at any time of year. Even during the wettest, coldest months of winter (May to September), clear, bright days are common, particularly in the milder north. Heavy snowfalls in the central North Island and the southern Alps present some of the freshest opportunities for skiing and snowboarding anywhere in the world from June to October.

Peak summer temperatures during January and February in Auckland, for example, are around 23°C. In the winter months (May to September) it will rarely drop below 8°C. And while Auckland may be regarded as damp among locals, its maximum average rainfall of 145mm in July has nothing on that of Hokitika in the South Island, which at a maximum of 292mm receives almost double.

New Zealand has one of the highest UV ratings in the world, with radiation levels a feature of many weather forecasts. The use of sunscreen is an absolute necessity, even on the most overcast of days.