A mild summer overall, dry for many parts of the country
| Temperature | Summer temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) or well above average (>1.20°C above average) for northern, western and southern parts of the South Island, and many central, western, and northern parts of the North Island. Temperatures were near average (±0.50°C of average) for eastern and southern parts of the North Island, and much of Canterbury. |
| Rainfall | Rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for northern, central, and western parts of the North Island, as well as for western, inland, and southern parts of the South Island. Rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for some eastern parts of Canterbury, northern Hawke’s Bay, and Gisborne. |
| Soil moisture | At the end of summer, soil moisture levels were lower than normal for most of the North Island, parts of the West Coast, inland northern Canterbury, coastal parts of the South Island from Dunedin to Invercargill, and Stewart Island. Soil moisture levels were typically near normal elsewhere. |
Overview
Summer 2024-25 was characterised by higher-than-normal air pressure over and surrounding Aotearoa New Zealand. This contributed to a rather mild and dry season for many areas overall, although cooler and wetter conditions were experienced in some eastern parts of both the North Island and South Island. The generally settled weather throughout the season contributed to marine heatwave conditions developing throughout New Zealand’s coastal waters towards the end of February.
Summer temperatures were above average (0.51-1.20°C above average) for much of Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Tasman, Nelson, Otago and Southland. Temperatures were well above average (>1.20°C above average) for most of the West Coast, Wānaka, Kawerau, and Kaitaia. Near average temperatures (±0.50°C of average) were observed in much of Canterbury, Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatū, Hawke’s Bay, and Gisborne. Summer 2024-25 was the 21st-warmest summer on record. The nationwide average temperature was 17.3°C. This was 0.5°C above the 1991-2020 summer average from NIWA’s seven station temperature series which begins in 1909.
Summer rainfall was below normal (50-79% of normal) or well below normal (<50% of normal) for western and southern parts of Northland, Auckland, central and western Waikato, Taranaki, coastal Manawatū-Whanganui, Tasman, West Coast, much of Otago, and southern and western Southland. In contrast, rainfall was above normal (120-149% of normal) or well above normal (>149% of normal) for northeastern Northland, Gisborne, northern Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, and some eastern parts of Canterbury about Kaikōura, Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
Further highlights for summer 2024-25:
- The highest temperature was 34.8°C, observed at Kawerau on 29 December.
- The lowest temperature was -0.4°C, observed at Waipara River North Branch on 25 January.
- The highest 1-day rainfall was 154 mm, recorded at Kokiri (15 km inland from Greymouth, West Coast) on 15 December.
- The highest wind gust was 196 km/h, observed at Cape Turnagain on 5 December.
- The sunniest four locations so far in 2025 are Taranaki (621 hours), West Coast (606 hours), Mackenzie Basin (584 hours), and Central Otago (582 hours).
- Of the six main centres in summer 2024-25, Auckland was the warmest, Hamilton was the driest, Tauranga was the sunniest and wettest, Dunedin was the coolest, and Christchurch was the least sunny.
