- Climate of New Zealand
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The climate of New Zealand is mostly cool temperate to warm temperate with a strong maritime influence.
Contents
Weather
The Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited (MetService), established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992, issues weather forecasts and official weather warnings.
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.[1]
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.[2]
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.
Statistics
By area
Auckland Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 75231565241694221510520121031710139158146157121158116169911811932012912214Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 374602.675603.772584.168544.163505.559465.758454.859464.661483.664513.767543.67157Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Hamilton Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 8524137124138723129520910217711914512614411715510216796188932010952212Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 3.375552.875553.473543.76848463454.75741557394.65941461453.864463.768503.77254Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Taupo Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 85231277231283211074187871459912310511210912390145102177851981082110Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 3.37453374533.370502.964453.457413.953384.152364.354373.55740462443.366474.37050Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Napier Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 482415622415852313752010621778115592145671556517755199572111562313Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 1.976582.475583.37355368502.463453.258413.657402.659412.662452.267492.270522.27356Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Wellington Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 7220136221149219131001711117149147127136116123127100148115159991710861912Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.869562.469563.666553.962524.658485.854445.453434.854443.956464.559483.962513.46554Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Nelson Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 72221357221378211186188771558513286122901337315592178821910752112Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.872552.272553.169533.46547359413.355363.454353.556382.959423.662463.2665036953Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Hokitika Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 2501912172201221719112491782451462331242321232241342501462861572401792781811Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 9.867536.868548.566519.862479.658439.254399.154378.855399.857421159459.46248116551Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Christchurch Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 4223123922125420115418856155661227911269123471555317744199492111Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 1.773541.572542.169512.164462.258402.653363.152352.754371.959412.163451.767481.97052Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Alexandra Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 292411222411402293418535122268−2238−224110271534118626208432210Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 1.174510.975511.671481.364411.45435146290.946290.953311.159371.66442168461.77250Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches Dunedin Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 7319115919117018106215867136681046110355114481366415767169761810Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation totals in mm Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D 2.966522.366522.864502.460462.655422.751382.450372.252391.956422.559452.6614736451Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation totals in inches See also
References
- ^ Mean monthly rainfall, NIWA.
- ^ "NZ's temperature record hits new low - minus 25.6degC". The New Zealand Herald. 12 July 2011. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10737901. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
- ^ "Climate Data". NIWA. http://www.niwascience.co.nz/edu/resources/climate/. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
Further reading
- State of the Climate 2010: A snapshot of recent climate in New Zealand, NIWA Science & Technology Series No. 56, NIWA, 2010, ISSN 1173-0382, http://www.niwa.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/104762/State-of-the-Climate-2010-.pdf
External links
- MetService (Meteorological Service of New Zealand), a government agency that is the major provider of weather data
- MetVUW - a weather and climate service operated by Victoria University
- MetVUW - forecasting
- NIWA - National Climate Centre
- NZ Weather - A New Zealand based weather forum
- New Zealand Weather Network (NZWN) - a live weather map of weather stations around New Zealand
- List of private weather stations
Climate of Oceania Sovereign states Dependencies and
other territories- American Samoa
- Christmas Island
- Cocos (Keeling) Islands
- Cook Islands
- Easter Island
- French Polynesia
- Guam
- Hawaii
- New Caledonia
- Niue
- Norfolk Island
- Northern Mariana Islands
- Pitcairn Islands
- Tokelau
- Wallis and Futuna
Categories:
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