Climate: New Zealand has a
temperate, moist ocean climate without marked seasonal variations in
temperature or rainfall. The prevailing winds are westerly, with a
concentration of strong winds in the Cook Strait area.
The generally mountainous nature of the country, however, causes
considerable variation in rainfall (e.g., between the eastern and
western sides of the Southern Alps), and, by preventing
stratification of air into layers of different density, results in
an absence of extensive cloud sheets and a consequent high
percentage of sunshine.
Mean annual temperatures at sea level range from about 15°C (59°F)
in the northern part of the North Island to 12°C (54°F) in the
southern part of the South Island. Mean annual rainfall ranges from
around 30 cm (12 in) near Dunedin to more than 800 cm (315 in) in
the Southern Alps. |
