New Plymouth’s Climate

New Plymouth Temperatures | New Plymouth Sunshine Hours | Climate of New Plymouth

New Plymouth, New Zealand
New Plymouth’s location

New Plymouth sits on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island with a climate similar to, but marginally cooler than Auckland’s.


Like Napier on the east coast New Plymouth enjoys a sunny climate although, like all locations on New Zealand’s west coast, New Plymouth has more rainy days.

Similar Latitude Cities

New Plymouth sits on a latitude of 39.0 degrees South. Cities on similar latitudes in the Northern hemisphere include Palma, Majorca and Sacramento, California. New Plymouth is cooler in summer than these northern hemisphere cities because of the moderating effects of the surrounding Pacific Ocean.

Climate Data for New Plymouth

MonthAv. Daily
Maximum Temp.
(OC)
Av. Daily
Minimum
Temp.
(OC)
Av. hours
Sunshine (per day)
Av. No. Days
with at least
0.25 mm
Rainfall
Average
Afternoon
Humidity
Jan.22147.91175
Feb.22147.81075
Mar.21136.51175
Apr.19115.81478
May1684.61980
Jun.1473.91985
Jul.1364.32085
Aug.1465.02080
Sep.1585.31775
Oct.1696.11673
Nov.18116.81570
Dec.20127.31270

The Yellow Orb

The main weather hazard faced by New Plymouth’s residents is the strength of the sun – particularly in summer.

  • In high summer, the sunshine in New Zealand is really strong. You’ll burn more easily in New Zealand than anywhere in the Mediterranean.
  • There are three reasons why the sun in the Southern Hemisphere is so strong.
    • There is less ozone to block the UV rays that cause sunburn.
    • Earth’s orbit takes it closer to the sun during the southern summer than during the northern summer.
    • There is less pollution in the southern hemisphere to block the UV rays.
  • The sun’s burning strength is measured by the UV index. The highest possible UV index at sea-level is about 20. This can occur at midday in equatorial regions. Any reading higher than 10 is extreme in terms of skin-damage.
    • The UV Index in the Mediterranean in high-summer reaches 9 or 10.
    • The people in Florida are fried on a just a few days each summer when the index reaches 12.
    • In New Zealand the summer index often exceeds 12.

Return to the New Zealand Climate Guide.


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