Wellington has a climate that engages all of your senses. There is even a book of poetry devoted to the subject, called ‘Big Weather’. Nobel Prize-winning Australian author Patrick White affectionately described Wellington as ‘like Norway with a touch of Greece’.

Seasons

Wellington is often New Zealand’s sunniest large city, enjoying around 2,000 hours a year, well above the national average. By comparison London averages 1,500, Edinburgh 1,350 and Vancouver 1,850.

Wellington’s autumns and winters are particularly mild by international standards, with bright clear skies and mild temperatures, broken by an occasional southerly storm.

The reward for enduring a southerly is the spectacular weather that follows. The sky is a radiant blue, it’s still and calm, and the streets are washed clean.

The capital’s average daily maximum summer temperatures are in the 20s Celsius, and maximum average winter temperatures in the low teens Celsius.

Windy Wellington

The capital is known as ‘windy Wellington’ particularly when the equinox winds blow in spring and early summer. The wind comes from the natural funnelling effect of Cook Strait, the stretch of ocean water that separates the North and South Islands.

It is fair to say that there are few times in the year when the weather prevents you from being outdoors. The climate is a temperate one, even in mid-winter.

There are micro-climates within and around the region. The Hutt Valley tends to be cooler in winter, warmer in summer, and more sheltered. Kapiti Coast tends to be warmer, and has less wind and rain. The Wairarapa is hotter again, and drier.

Related Links

• MetService website
• Seasons - Immigration New Zealand website