Climate extremes

Hottest, coldest, wettest, driest, sunniest, windiest...find out here which places hold the record for climate extremes in New Zealand

These New Zealand climate extremes were last reviewed in March 2023. We’re interested in how you are using this information and whether it’s useful – let us know by emailing [email protected]. 

Rainfall*

Period	Amount (mm)	Site	Date
Highest:
10 minutes	34	Tauranga	17 April 1948
1 hour	134	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)**	From 2300 hours on 8 January 2004
12 hours	566	Hokitika at Prices Flat	From 2311 hours on 11 May 1978
24 hours	869	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	From 1224 hours on 1 January 2013
48 hours	1086	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	From 0800 hours on 25 March 2019
1 calendar month	2927	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	December 1995
31 days	3813	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	From 2054 hours on 19 October 1999
1 calendar year	16617	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	January 1998 – December 1998
365 days	18413	Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika Catchment)	From 0348 hours on 30 October 1997
Lowest:
3 months	9	Cape Campbell	January–March 2001
6 months	52	Cape Campbell	November 2000 – April 2001
12 months	167	Alexandra	November 1963 – October 1964
1 calendar year	212	Alexandra	January 1964 – December 1964
Longest rainless period:
71 days	0	Wai-iti, Marlborough	From 8 February 1939

*Two sources of rainfall data were used:

The National Climate Database, accessed through DataHub, with all data from mainland New Zealand stations included. Rainfall data used were 9am-9am 24-hour totals.

Datahub

The National Hydrometric Database, EDENZ, with all data from mainland New Zealand stations included. Rainfall data used were near-instantaneous. For example, the 566 mm recorded at Cropp at Waterfall (Hokitika catchment) occurred between 2311 NZST on 11 May 1978 and 1111 NZST on 12 May 1978. For the calendar month and calendar year totals, the data start at 0000 NZST.

EDENZ

**Cropp at Waterfall is a gauge sited near the waterfall on the Cropp River, which is a tributary of the Whitcombe River, itself a tributary of the Hokitika River.

Temperature^#

Location	Temperature (°C)	Site	Date
Highest air temperature:
North Island	39.2	Ruatoria	7 February 1973
South Island	42.4	Rangiora	7 February 1973
Lowest air temperature:
North Island	–13.6	Chateau Tongariro	7 July 1937
South Island	–25.6	Ranfurly, Eweburn	17 July 1903*
Lowest grass minimum:
	–21.6	Lake Tekapo	4 August 1938

^#Climate data were sourced from the National Climate Database, with all data from mainland New Zealand stations included. All temperature data from stations below 500 m AMSL were included.

Climate station data is available in the NIWA DataHub

*Data entry of historical New Zealand climate records, from paper into electronic format, is an on-going activity. This datum was archived into the National Climate Database, on 26 February 2009. Newspaper reports at the time in The Otago Witness and The Tuapeka Times described extreme impacts from snow and severe temperatures in the region, consistent with the recorded temperatures. 

Sunshine^#

Location	Total (hours)	Site	Year
Highest in one year:
North Island	2792	Whakatane	2013
South Island	2859	Richmond	2019
Highest in one month:
North Island	359	New Plymouth	January 2022
South Island	355	Richmond	January 2019
Lowest in one year:
North Island	1357	Palmerston North	1992
South Island	971	Franz Josef	1991
Lowest in one month:
North Island	27	Taumarunui	June 2002
South Island	25	Otautau	July 1985

^#Climate data were sourced from the National Climate Database, with all data from mainland New Zealand stations included. 

Climate station data is available in the NIWA DataHub

Wind gusts^#

Location	Speed (km/h)	Site	Date
North Island	248	Hawkins Hill, Wellington	6 November 1959 & 4 July 1962
South Island	250	Mt John, Canterbury	18 April 1970

^#Climate data were sourced from the National Climate Database, with all data from mainland New Zealand stations included.

Climate station data is available in the NIWA DataHub