Figure 1.--New Zealand's pleasant temperate climate allows one to enjoy outdoor activities througout the year. |
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New Zealand enjoys a particularly clear and unpolluted atmosphere with average daily sunshine hours
ranging from seven to eight in summer and four to five in winter. New Zealand's location in the southern Pacific results in a mild, temperate climate is temperate, without marked extremes but with distinct regional variations. The southerly, insular location gives rise to occasionally changeable, windy weather. The climate ranges from subtropical in the extreme north to almost sub-arctic in the southern mountainous area of South Island. Seasonal variations are less marked than in many other countries as the insular exposure to the Pacific Ocean tends to moderate the climate. Summer weather is rarely uncomfortably hot. Winters are very mild, despite the southerly latitude. Few locations experience more than a few days of freezing weather and snow is usually limited to the higher elevations and rare even in the southern lowlands. Significant accumulations in major population centers are unusual.
New Zealand is a well-watered country. Precipitation occurs throughout the year on both islands. It tends to be most prevalent on North Island during midyear (May-August) and is more varied on South Island (usually highest in January and May). Rainfall is heaviest along the western coast of South Island, which is exposed to the prevailing winds from the Tasman Sea. Some areas, especially the eastern coast of South Island, experience more limited rainfall than other areas of New Zealand.
Climatic factors strongly influenced the economic development of the two islands. The temperate climate suitable for European agriculture attracted immigrants which quickly swamped the indigenous population. South Island experiences higher precipitation levels than North Island. The rain shadow effect of the Southern Alps (Dennis: explain) creates large areas uniquely suited to livestock pastures which led to the creation of large landholdings producing much of the country's wool and meat. North Island receives less precipitation and substantial areas are still forested. [DW: ???>>Substantial areas are devoted to sheep and dairy farming.]
