New Zealand climate
World Climates covers 7 places in New Zealand. By annual mean temperature, the warmest is Tauranga (16 °C61 °F) and the coolest is Dunedin (11 °C52 °F). The wettest is Tauranga with 1,149 mm45 in of precipitation per year, the driest Dunedin with 687 mm27 in.
The most common climate types (Köppen classification computed from these averages) are temperate oceanic (Cfb, 7 places).
The highest monthly average high is in Christchurch (24 °C75 °F in January); the lowest monthly average low is in Christchurch (2 °C36 °F in July).
Across the places in New Zealand, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, February and March (7, 7 and 7 of 7 places respectively).
Frequently asked questions
Which is the warmest place in New Zealand?
By annual mean temperature, the warmest place in New Zealand is Tauranga at 16 °C61 °F. The coolest is Dunedin at 11 °C52 °F.
Where does it rain the most in New Zealand?
Tauranga gets the most precipitation, 1,149 mm45 in in an average year. The driest place is Dunedin with 687 mm27 in.
How many places in New Zealand does this site cover?
World Climates has climate data for 7 places in New Zealand. Each one has a page with monthly averages for temperature, rainfall, humidity and daylight.
When is the best time to visit New Zealand?
It depends on the place. Across New Zealand, the months that most often rank as the most comfortable are January, February and March. Check the page of each city for its own best months.
Climate of every place in New Zealand
| Place | Year | Max high | Min low | Precip. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | 16 | 24 | 9 | 1,015 |
| Christchurch | 12 | 24 | 2 | 845 |
| Wellington | 13 | 19 | 9 | 856 |
| Hamilton | 15 | 24 | 7 | 1,120 |
| Tauranga | 16 | 23 | 10 | 1,149 |
| Dunedin | 11 | 16 | 6 | 687 |
| Lower Hutt | 14 | 21 | 8 | 910 |
Year = annual mean temperature; max high = average high of the warmest month; min low = average low of the coldest month; precip. = annual total. Temperatures in °C°F, precipitation in mminches. Sorted by population.
Other cities over 100,000 people
These cities share a NASA POWER grid cell with a larger place, so their averages are shown on that page:
- Manukau City → data of Auckland
Data: NASA POWER climatology 2001–2025 (MERRA-2 reanalysis, CERES satellite data) — grid-cell averages, not station records. Sources and method.