Waikato exhibits a range of climates due to the variety of landscapes in the region.
The northern coastal areas of Coromandel Peninsula and the Hauraki Plains have different climatic characteristics to the high altitude areas around Taupo and Tongariro National Park in the south of the region.
Waikato can be very windy in exposed areas, but low elevation inland parts of the region are more sheltered. Mountain ranges cause rainfall anomalies which are directly relatedto elevation. However, rainfall is generally plentiful year-round.
An east-west gradient of bright sunshine is observed, with more sunshine in the east than the west of the region.
Read the report
Read the full report - The climate and weather of the Waikato - 2nd edition [PDF 3.17 MB]
Suggested citation
Chappell, P.R. 2013. The climate and weather of Waikato. NIWA Science and Technology Series 61, 40 pp.
NIWA's climatologies
A regional climatology is a summary of the typical weather and climate of a region, based on historical data observations made at climate stations located within the region.