New Zealand is blessed with a incredibly mild climate. Temperatures and rainfall are moderate year round. The air is fresh, clean and unpolluted, and a healthy number of sunshine hours make it a pleasure to visit at any time with your Hertz Dunedin car rental.
As a rule, the further north you are the warmer it will be, and the further south, the colder it will be. Inland or high altitude areas will also be colder. However, the majority of New Zealand is close to the coast, which means milder weather.
The climate in the Southern Hemisphere is the opposite to the Northern Hemisphere. Christmas falls in summer! January and February are the warmest months, while mid-winter July is the coldest month of the whole year. Summer temperatures usually average between 20-30 degrees at the most, while winter highs fall in the teens and can drop below zero on particularly cold days.
In most places you can wear short sleeves during the summer days, adding another layer towards night time. Layer up in winter to keep warm – snow falls in the southern regions while rainfall increases in the north. The weather can change rapidly – experiencing all four seasons in a day is not uncommon. If you’re doing outdoor activities, check the forecast before heading out and be prepared for conditions to change.
Most of New Zealand enjoys more than 2,000 hours of sunshine a year. Although the heat is moderate, the UV rays are strong and the sunlight can burn skin within minutes. Be sure to cover up and wear sun screen during the warmer months and particularly during prime ‘burn time’ – the risk is strongest between about 10am and 3pm. Snow season often starts in June and finishes in September or October, if you’re heading down under to ski or snowboard.
In Dunedin, summer temperatures range from 11-20 degrees, and in winter, from 4-13 degrees. Rainfall is spread fairly evenly throughout the year and falls more on the drizzly end rather than the heavy side when it does occur. Dunedin tends to be cloudy though daylight can extend till 10pm at the peak of summer. It’s a temperate area with mild summers, being next to the ocean, with chilly winters. Spring can bring four seasons in a day and winters can be snowy. The hills surrounding the inner city provide a good buffer from strong weather.