Far New Zealand has always been of interest to many people. Due to its geographical location, this state is an isolated territory for the whole world. The entire population of the country mainly lives on two large islands - the North and the South. The climatic conditions of New Zealand are quite unique, as they are influenced by many factors.
New Zealand: Climate and Key Impacts
The climate of the country is mostly flat and humid. In the region there is only a slight temperature fluctuation. True, climatic conditions vary slightly from one region to another. This can be partially explained by the fact that the territory of the state has a longitudinal extent. In this regard, the climate of the New Zealand is subtropical in the north, and temperate in the southern regions.
For the formation of the climate of this distant state, the mountain ranges of the Southern Alps, which are located in the west and in the center of the country, play an important role. This mountain range reliably protects the east coast from winds blowing from the west.
New Zealand: Climate of the North and South Islands
In general, the climate of the North Island is more favorable. The considerable distance from the equator, the highlands and the proximity of the cold seas - all this led to more severe weather conditions on the South Island. Strong cold winds are observed in the highlands of both islands; here, precipitation in the form of snow also often falls. Almost the entire population of the country lives in areas that are within 600 meters above sea level, so they are not afraid of eternal snows.
There is a lot of humidity on the west coast of New Zealand. Canterbury Plains are a drier area that is often blown by both warm, dry winds and cold, which are accompanied by rains.
On the North Island, not counting the internal mountainous regions, winter and summer are quite mild, with moderate or, conversely, heavy rainfall.
New Zealand: monthly climate
The hottest months are February, December and January. The coldest, respectively, are June, July and August. The average winter temperature in northern New Zealand is approximately 12 ° C and 5 ° C in the south. In the mountainous regions in July the temperature can drop to an average of -2 ° C, rarely there are frosts of -12 ° C. The average January temperature on the North Island is 19 ° C, on the South Island - 14 ° C. The maximum temperature is 31 ° C (recorded on the Auckland Peninsula).
New Zealand: climate and winds
This state is characterized by westerly winds that are associated with cyclones. They often bring rainfall that falls on the west coast of New Zealand. The eastern parts of the islands are well protected from the winds by mountain systems, so there is less rainfall here. Snowstorms often occur in the most extreme areas of the southern island.
New Zealand: climate of small islands
Most of the small islands (Auckland, Stuart, Kermadek and others), which are located in the Tasman Sea, are characterized by a tropical climate. The reason for this is the fairly warm East Australian Current.
As you can see, the climatic conditions in this country are very different. The climate of the region strongly depends not only on the geographical location, but on the currents and mountain systems of the Southern Alps.