Climate of New Zealand
Encyclopedia
The climate of New Zealand is mostly cool temperate to warm temperate with a strong maritime
influence.
(MetService), established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992, issues weather forecasts
and official weather warnings.
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.
s.
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.
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.
Oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also called marine west coast climate, maritime climate, Cascadian climate and British climate for Köppen climate classification Cfb and subtropical highland for Köppen Cfb or Cwb, is a type of climate typically found along the west coasts at the middle latitudes of some of the...
influence.
Weather
The Meteorological Service of New Zealand LimitedMeteorological Service of New Zealand Limited
Meteorological Service of New Zealand Limited was established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992. It employs about 215 staff and its headquarters are in Wellington, New Zealand...
(MetService), established as a State-Owned Enterprise in 1992, issues weather forecasts
Weather forecasting
Weather forecasting is the application of science and technology to predict the state of the atmosphere for a given location. Human beings have attempted to predict the weather informally for millennia, and formally since the nineteenth century...
and official weather warnings.
Rainfall
New Zealand climates range from semi-aridSemi-arid
A semi-arid climate or steppe climate describes climatic regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not extremely...
in Central Otago
Central Otago
Central Otago is the inland part of the New Zealand region of Otago in the South Island. The area commonly known as Central Otago includes both the Central Otago District and the Queenstown-Lakes District to the west....
, with around 300 mm of rain a year, to decidedly wet (up to 8000 mm) in places west of the Southern Alps
Southern Alps
The Southern Alps is a mountain range extending along much of the length of New Zealand's South Island, reaching its greatest elevations near the island's western side...
. Most New Zealand cities receive between 650 mm (as in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
) and 1500 mm (Whangarei
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
) 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 windFöhn wind
A föhn wind or foehn wind is a type of dry down-slope wind that occurs in the lee of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes...
s.
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
Ranfurly, New Zealand
Ranfurly is the largest settlement in the Maniototo district of Otago, New Zealand. Located 110 kilometres north of Dunedin, it lies in dry rough country at a moderately high altitude close to a small tributary of the Taieri River. It is a service town for the local farming community...
in Otago in 1903.
Tropical cyclones
New ZealandNew Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
is hit by a tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
once every eight to nine years. Cyclone Bola
Cyclone Bola
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. It formed on February 24 to the north of Fiji, and tracking generally southwestward it reached hurricane-force winds near...
was one of the costliest cyclones in the history of New Zealand
History of New Zealand
The history of New Zealand dates back at least 700 years to when it was discovered and settled by Polynesians, who developed a distinct Māori culture centred on kinship links and land. The first European explorer to discover New Zealand was Abel Janszoon Tasman on 13 December 1642...
, causing severe damage as an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
when it passed near the country in March 1988.
By area
See also
- Nor'west archNor'west archThe Nor'west arch is a weather pattern peculiar to the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. For this reason, it is also often referred to as the Canterbury arch. It is shown in an apparent arch of high white cloud in an otherwise clear blue sky over the Southern Alps, and is accompanied by a...
- Weather Channel (New Zealand)Weather Channel (New Zealand)Weather Channel is a 24 hour interactive channel with updated New Zealand weather information operated by MetService and broadcast on channel 098 on SKY TV....
- Climate change in New ZealandClimate change in New ZealandClimate change in New Zealand, in the sense of anthropogenic global warming during the 20th century, is apparent in the instrumental record, in New Zealand's participation in international treaties and in social and political debates. Climate change is being responded to in a variety of ways by...
External links
- MetService (Meteorological Service of New Zealand), a government agencyGovernment agencyA government or state agency is a permanent or semi-permanent organization in the machinery of government that is responsible for the oversight and administration of specific functions, such as an intelligence agency. There is a notable variety of agency types...
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