New Zealand Weather

The New Zealand weather varies quite a bit depending on where you stay. The further south you go, the colder you can expect to get in winter. Auckland seldom gets frost in winter, yet places further south will be covered in snow. The summer months are wonderfully warm and outdoor activities are abundant then. With Auckland being on the same latitude as Cape Town, the temperatures are comparable.

The rainfall in New Zealand is also considerably higher than in South Africa with the result is things are a lot greener here. Even your grass tends to stay green during the winter as that is the rainy season here. It does however also rain during the summer months occasionally.

The Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa (pronounced : Ah-tay-’n-row-’n) which means “Land Of the Long White Cloud”. If you look at the satellite image above you can see why. Seriously large cloud masses form in this part of the world. Some linger and bring us rain for a week or more on end, others blow over within a day without even as much as a drop falling. Another name New Zealand is known by is “Godzone” which means “God’s Own” because of the stunning beauty of the land.