1. Weather
    Rainfall  Snowfall  Temperature  Annual mean temperature  Summer  Winter  Severe weather events 

2. Statistics
    By area  Records 

3. Historical climate

4. See also

5. References

6. Further reading

7. External links

The climate of New Zealand is varied due to the country's diverse landscape. Most regions of New Zealand belong to the temperate zone with a maritime climate (Köppen climate classification: Cfb) characterised by four distinct seasons. The main contributing factors are the Pacific Ocean and latitude, although the mountain ranges can cause significant climate variations in locations barely tens of kilometres from each other. Conditions vary from extremely wet on the West Coast of the South Island to almost semi-arid in Central Otago and subtropical in Northland.^[1]

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

Most cities receive between {{convert|620|mm|disp=or|abbr=on}} (as in Christchurch) and {{convert|1317|mm|disp=or|abbr=on}} (Whangarei) of precipitation annually.^[2] Rainfall is normally distributed evenly throughout the year in most parts of the country, especially in the South Island. Northern and eastern parts of the country, including Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington see a slight winter maximum consistent with a Mediterranean climate. Summer and autumn maxima can be found in places closer to the southwest, such as Invercargill and Milford Sound.

How much rain a place receives is highly dependent on topography. The Southern Alps, the North Island Volcanic Plateau and surrounding ranges can produce large variation in rainfalls in places barely tens of kilometres apart. Milford Sound receives over 6,700 mm of the rainfall a year on average while barely 100 km away Alexandra in Central Otago receives only slightly greater than 300 mm annually, giving it a borderline oceanic/semi-arid climate.^[3]

Snowfall

Snow falls in New Zealand's South Island and at higher altitudes in the North Island. It is extremely rare at sea level in the North Island. Snow is more common inland in both main islands, though snow to sea level does occur on average once or twice per year in the central and southern South Island.

Temperature

As with many islands in the world, the influence of the ocean curtails any extremes in coastal temperature. The greater temperature ranges are found in the interior of the Canterbury and Southland regions, and especially Central Otago. Central Otago and inland Canterbury's Mackenzie Basin have the closest New Zealand has to continental climates, being generally drier (due in part to föhn winds) and less directly modified by the ocean. These areas can experience summer temperatures in the low 30s °C (high 80s/low 90s °F) and snow and severe frosts in winter, the latter exacerbated by hoar frosts in the river valleys and basins.

Annual mean temperature

Mean annual temperatures range from {{convert|10|°C|0}} in the south to {{convert|16|°C|0}} in the north.^[4] The coldest month is usually July and the warmest month is usually January or February. Generally there are relatively small variations between summer and winter temperatures. An example of this is Auckland which has a variation of just 9 °C or 16 °F between the average mid-winter high temperature ({{convert|14.7|°C|disp=or}}) and average mid-summer high temperature ({{convert|23.7|°C|disp=or}}). Temperature variation throughout the day is also relatively small. The exception to this is inland areas and to the east of the ranges with daily variations that can be over 25 °C and differences of up to 14 °C between the average summer and winter high temperatures. Temperatures also drop about 0.7 °C or 1.3 °F for every 100 m of altitude.

Northern cities such as Auckland, Whangarei, and Tauranga experience mean yearly maxima of between {{convert|19–20|°C}} and mean yearly minima of around {{convert|11–12|°C}}. Eastern cities on the North Island such as Gisborne, Napier, and Hastings also have mean yearly maxima of between {{convert|19–20|°C}} but have slightly lower yearly mean minima of around {{convert|9–10|°C}}. The two largest cities on the South Island, Christchurch and Dunedin, have mean yearly maxima of {{convert|17.3|°C}} and {{convert|14.6|°C}} and yearly mean minima of {{convert|7.3|°C}} and {{convert|7.6|°C}} respectively.

Summer

Daily maximum temperatures are normally in the mid to low 20s (°C) over most of the country. They are higher in northern, eastern and interior part of the country; Hastings is the warmest city on average with 25.5 °C followed by Gisborne with 24.9 °C and Napier with 24.5 °C. Eastern parts of the South Island are highly susceptible to the norwester, a Fohn wind which can result in temperatures going into the high 30s and even the low 40s. Rangiora in Canterbury holds the record maximum of 42.4 °C recorded in 1973, with Christchurch recording 41.6 °C in that same year. More recently, Timaru reached 41.3 °C on Waitangi Day in 2011. Due to these winds, the cooler southern cities of Dunedin and Invercargill have higher all-time record temperatures than places further north such as Wellington, Auckland and Whangarei.

Winter

Winter temperatures are much milder in New Zealand compared to other areas of similar latitude, with the exception of the Central Otago and Mackenzie Basin regions mentioned above. Maxima are generally {{convert|10-15|°C}} in the North Island, decreasing as one goes further south or inland. The South Island is a bit cooler, with maximum temperatures around {{convert|7-12|°C}}, though sometimes lower. The lowest temperature ever recorded was {{convert|-25.6|C|F}} at Ranfurly in Otago in 1903, with a more recent temperature of {{convert|-21.6|C|F}} recorded in 1995 in nearby Ophir.^[5]

Severe weather events

1–6 February 1868: The Great storm of 1868 was a violent storm that swept across much of New Zealand wrecking 12 ships and causing extensive flooding. About 40 lives were known lost and at the time an estimated £500,000 to £1 million worth of damage was caused. The storm is currently thought to have been an extratropical cyclone.

16 April 1897: The storm of 1897 was a severe storm that struck the lower to central North Island of New Zealand on 16 April 1897. It caused the ship Zuleika to run aground near Cape Palliser, with the loss of 12 lives, and severe flooding. At Clive the flooding caused the loss of a further 12 lives and one person was drowned near Kapiti. There were 6 further unconfirmed reports of drowning, bringing the total loss of life directly related to the storm event to between 25 and 31. Based on descriptions of the storm, particularly that of Captain Marten of the Waiapu, it may have been an extratropical cyclone.

6–10 March 1988: 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.

20–21 June 2013 New Zealand storm: This extra-tropical system was first felt in the South Island by heavy snowfall on 18 and 19 June. Late on 20 June, the storm pushed northeast to the North Island, bringing very strong winds until early 23 June. Schools were cancelled during the shortest day (21 June), due to massive damage.

Statistics

By area

Records

Historical climate

Data collection for determining the New Zealand climate began in the late 19th century, although European explorers made valid observations of climate indicators such as glaciers and moraines early in that century. Scientific study of early New Zealand climate is quite recent and ongoing. It has settled some of the debate regarding links between the Little Ice Age (LIA) in the Northern Hemisphere and the climate in New Zealand at the same time. The key facts to emerge are that New Zealand did experience a noticeable cooler climate, but at a slightly later date than in the Northern Hemisphere.^[21] The onset of cooler climate was about 1450 and lasted until 1850. Indications are that temperatures were in the range of 1.5-2.0 degree Celsius lower than present during the New Zealand LIA. Since 2000 various scientific investigations looked at the behaviour of glaciers in relation to climate and found they were excellent indicators of temperatures, especially in summer. Glacial evidence of climate is matched by evidence of variations in tree ring growth and studies of ice core and ocean sediment samples indicating the types of microorganisms (some flourish in warm temperatures, other in cooler temperatures) and historical carbon dioxide ratios.^[13]

Evidence found that the climate was more strongly influenced by the impact of tropical air masses in warm periods and polar air masses in cool periods. Recent (2010) studies by Victoria University have shown that the regional climates most affected were in coastal Otago and Southland. The dominant temperature influence here was the relative warmth of the sea to the south of New Zealand during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP). From about 1350 this region was notably warmer but then cooled relatively quickly from 1450. This cooling may have had a substantial impact on population in those areas. The limited historical record suggests that from 1450 the population of New Zealand underwent significant cultural change which may have links to climate cooling and dramatic changes in food supplies.^[13]

See also

• Nor'west arch
• Weather Channel (New Zealand)
• Climate change in New Zealand

References

Further reading

• {{citation|title=State of the Climate 2010: A snapshot of recent climate in New Zealand|url=http://www.niwa.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/104762/State-of-the-Climate-2010-.pdf|series=NIWA Science & Technology Series No. 56|year=2010|publisher=NIWA|issn=1173-0382}}
• Insurance Council of New Zealand: Cost of Disaster Events in New Zealand

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
• Weather and Seasons in New Zealand

• GANGSTA.
• Gangsta?
• Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1
• Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 1 music
• Gangsta Bitch Music, Vol. 2
• Gangsta Boo
• Gangsta Boy
• Gangsta Crunk
• Gangsta (Kehlani song)
• Gangsta Party (disambiguation)
• Gangstar
• Gangsta Rap - The Glockumentary
• Gangsta Rap The Glockumentary
• Gangsta Rap – The Glockumentary
• Gangstar City
• Gangstar: New Orleans
• Gangstar New Orleans
• GangStarr Foundation
• Gangstars
• Gangstar (video game series)
• Gang Star (web series)
• Gang Star (Web Series)
• Gangstas' Paradise
• Gangsta's Paradise (disambiguation)
• Gangsta Walk