The first thing to note is that New Zealand's seasons are opposite to that of the Northern Hemisphere. New Zealand has a temperate climate with high rainfall and lots of sunshine. Summers are lovely and hot, Spring and Autumn extremely colourful, and Winter wonderfully crisp. There is a noticeable difference in the climates of the top of the North Island, which is sub-tropical, and the bottom of the South Island, which is temperate. Overall, however, New Zealand's is a very mild climate where Summers are lovely and hot, Spring and Autumn extremely colourful, and Winter wonderfully crisp.

The summer average maximum termperature ranges between 20-30 degreesC and winter 10-15 degreesC. The warmest months are January and February and the coolest June and July. The temperature range is not as extreme as one might find in other continental climates, however weather can change unexectedly. For this reason you should be prepared for sudden changes in weather, especially if you're doing outdoor activities.

With over 2000 hours of sunshine per year and relatively little air pollution, the Ultra Violet rays in our sunlight are very strong, especially during summer. Sunscreen, sunglasses and hats are highly recommended when you are in the sunlight.

With an average rainfall of between 600mm and 1500mm, New Zealand is an ideal country for agriculture and horticulture. This high rainfall also produces remarkable native forests.

Regional daily maximum/minimum temperatures in Celsius and Fahrenheit

Regions:	Cape Reinga / Bay of Islands	Auckland / Coromandel	Rotorua / Taupo / Napier
	Wellington / Marlborough / Nelson	Christchurch / Mt. Cook / West Coast	Dunedin / Queenstown / Fiordland

For more information about New Zealand: