New Zealand vs UK Climate

What’s New Zealand’s Weather Really Like?

This question is asked by British people more often than anyone else. It seems that the British are less happy with their weather than people from almost anywhere else on the planet. One of the reasons for leaving the UK appears to be, in the words of Sybil Fawlty :

“This morning he went on for two hours about the bloody weather.”

In simple terms, almost the whole of New Zealand is warmer and sunnier than the UK. The driest weather is found in the east (Christchurch and Napier) and the warmest weather is found in the north (Auckland and Napier).

Although New Zealanders will tell you that you can experience four seasons in one day here, in practice, the weather is less variable than the UK. Of course you can get stuck in a run of bad weather in New Zealand, but the sun will usually be back cheering you up again before too long, whatever the season.

Wherever they settle, British people generally find the New Zealand climate to be very pleasant, and indeed it is. Temperatures are rarely hot or cold enough to make you feel uncomfortable.

Particularly welcome is the fact that New Zealand winters, unless you live in the mountains, are shorter, warmer and sunnier than the UK.

The fact that New Zealand lies closer to the equator than the UK means that its winter days are longer and the nights are shorter.

For example, Auckland in midwinter has sunrise at around 7:35 am and sundown at 5:15 pm. London has sunrise at 8:05 am and sundown at 3:55 pm. Auckland’s 9 hour 38 minute midwinter day has the same number of daylight hours as November 1 in London.

Spring comes to New Zealand earlier than in the UK, summer lasts longer, autumn comes later and there are ample opportunites to get outdoors at all times of the year.

In Auckland and the northern part of the North Island, winter is usually a season of plentiful rainfall. People in Northland sometimes talk of “The Wet”. Despite the frequent rainfalls, there is also abundant sunshine. New Zealanders happily point out the reason that much of the country is so brilliantly green is that God waters it regularly.

Auckland and Christchurch probably have the best weather of New Zealand’s main population centres. Christchurch’s seasons are more distinct than Auckland’s and its winters are noticably cooler. Frost is common in Christchurch, followed by stunningly sunny days. Frost is rare in Auckland.

If you like to swim in the sea, the water is pleasant in summer around Auckland but cooler around Christchurch. Christchurch is considerably drier than Auckland and its rain falls on fewer days. Some people can find Auckland quite sticky in summer but the summer warmth in Christchurch is dryer.

For most people, the best weather of all is found on the North Island’s east coast – of which Napier is an example. The climate here has a Mediterranean flavour.

The climates of Wellington and Dunedin are not quite as favoured as the other cities. Wellington enjoys several months of warm summer sunshine but its reputation as a windy city is not unjustified. Dunedin is the coolest and cloudiest of New Zealand’s main centres. Dunedin’s daytime temperatures are similar all year round to those found in the south-west of England, but Dunedin is a bit drier and its nights are a bit cooler.

If you want further climate detail, we’ve put together some numbers so you can compare New Zealand’s cities’ climates directly with British cities. To help you compare like-with-like, we’ve swapped the New Zealand months around as if New Zealand was in the Northern hemisphere. This way you can directly compare British winters with New Zealand winters, etc.

For each New Zealand city, you can compare temperatures, rain days and sunshine hours with London, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

Which New Zealand city would you like to compare with British Cities?
Auckland
Christchurch
Dunedin
Napier
Wellington

Auckland vs British Cities
Average Daily Maximum Temperatures (^oC)

Month	Auckland	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	15	6	6	6
February	15	7	6	6
March	17	10	8	9
April	18	13	11	12
May	20	17	14	15
June	22	20	17	19
July	24	22	18	21
August	24	21	18	20
September	23	19	16	17
October	20	14	12	13
November	18	10	9	8
December	16	7	7	6

Auckland vs British Cities
Average Number of Rainy Days
(0.25mm or more falls)

Month	Auckland	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	21	15	17	18
February	19	13	15	14
March	17	11	15	14
April	16	12	14	15
May	15	12	14	14
June	12	12	15	13
July	10	12	17	15
August	10	11	16	15
September	11	13	16	14
October	14	13	17	16
November	19	15	17	17
December	19	15	18	17

Auckland vs British Cities
Annual Hours of Sunshine

	Auckland	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
Sunshine	2,050	1,500	1,350	1,400

Christchurch vs British Cities
Average Daily Maximum Temperatures (^oC)

Month	Christchurch	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	11	6	6	6
February	13	7	6	6
March	15	10	8	9
April	17	13	11	12
May	19	17	14	15
June	21	20	17	19
July	23	22	18	21
August	22	21	18	20
September	20	19	16	17
October	18	14	12	13
November	14	10	9	8
December	12	7	7	6

Christchurch vs British Cities
Average Number of Rainy Days
(0.25mm or more falls)

Month	Christchurch	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	13	15	17	18
February	11	13	15	14
March	10	11	15	14
April	10	12	14	15
May	10	12	14	14
June	10	12	15	13
July	10	12	17	15
August	8	11	16	15
September	9	13	16	14
October	10	13	17	16
November	12	15	17	17
December	13	15	18	17

Christchurch vs British Cities
Annual Hours of Sunshine

	Christchurch	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
Sunshine	2,050	1,500	1,350	1,400

Dunedin vs British Cities
Average Daily Maximum Temperatures (^oC)

Month	Dunedin	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	10	6	6	6
February	11	7	6	6
March	13	10	8	9
April	15	13	11	12
May	16	17	14	15
June	18	20	17	19
July	19	22	18	21
August	19	21	18	20
September	17	19	16	17
October	15	14	12	13
November	12	10	9	8
December	10	7	7	6

Dunedin vs British Cities
Average Number of Rainy Days(0.25mm or more falls)

Month	Dunedin	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	13	15	17	18
February	13	13	15	14
March	14	11	15	14
April	14	12	14	15
May	14	12	14	14
June	15	12	15	13
July	14	12	17	15
August	11	11	16	15
September	13	13	16	14
October	13	13	17	16
November	14	15	17	17
December	13	15	18	17

Dunedin vs British Cities
Annual Hours of Sunshine

	Dunedin	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
Sunshine	1,600	1,500	1,350	1,400

Napier vs British Cities
Average Daily Maximum Temperatures (^oC)

Month	Napier	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	14	6	6	6
February	15	7	6	6
March	17	10	8	9
April	19	13	11	12
May	21	17	14	15
June	23	20	17	19
July	24	22	18	21
August	24	21	18	20
September	23	19	16	17
October	20	14	12	13
November	17	10	9	8
December	14	7	7	6

Napier vs British Cities
Average Number of Rainy Days (0.25mm or more falls)

Month	Napier	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	12	15	17	18
February	12	13	15	14
March	10	11	15	14
April	9	12	14	15
May	9	12	14	14
June	8	12	15	13
July	8	12	17	15
August	8	11	16	15
September	8	13	16	14
October	8	13	17	16
November	10	15	17	17
December	11	15	18	17

Napier vs British Cities
Annual Hours of Sunshine

	Napier	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
Sunshine	2,200	1,500	1,350	1,400

Wellington vs British Cities
Average Daily Maximum Temperatures (^oC)

Month	Wellington	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	11	6	6	6
February	12	7	6	6
March	14	10	8	9
April	15	13	11	12
May	17	17	14	15
June	19	20	17	19
July	20	22	18	21
August	21	21	18	20
September	19	19	16	17
October	17	14	12	13
November	14	10	9	8
December	12	7	7	6

Wellington vs British Cities
Average Number of Rainy Days (0.25mm or more falls)

Month	Wellington	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
January	18	15	17	18
February	17	13	15	14
March	15	11	15	14
April	14	12	14	15
May	13	12	14	14
June	12	12	15	13
July	10	12	17	15
August	9	11	16	15
September	11	13	16	14
October	13	13	17	16
November	16	15	17	17
December	17	15	18	17

Wellington vs British Cities
Annual Hours of Sunshine

	Wellington	London	Edinburgh	Birmingham
Sunshine	2,050	1,500	1,350	1,400

Climate data were sourced from:
The New Zealand MetService
The World Weather Guide, E.A. Pearce and G. Smith.
Smith’s Guide to Western Maritime Climates, Bartholemew Smith.