New Zealand Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, and Tauranga
This month in numbers
New Zealand experienced its 4th warmest April–June period on record, with an average temperature of 9.82°C, marking an anomaly of +1.6°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. June 2026 itself was the 16th warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 6.99°C, which is +1.3°C above the baseline. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures, and the April–June period ranked as the 2nd warmest for global land temperatures.
What changed
The recent three-month period (April–June 2026) saw New Zealand significantly warmer than average, ranking as the 4th warmest such period in 86 years of records. This trend aligns with the country's long-term warming, which stands at +0.96°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. New Zealand's June anomaly of +1.30°C was notably warmer than the Oceania group average of +0.57°C, making it the warmest in the group for the month.
What’s driving change?
The current warming trend is significantly influenced by a strengthening El Niño event, which was officially declared in June and is expected to intensify further. El Niño typically brings stronger westerly winds and increased rainfall to the west and south of New Zealand, while the east and north tend to experience drier and warmer conditions. New Zealand also experienced several extreme weather events in June, including powerful gale-force winds and waves up to 9 metres high in Wellington on June 9, leading to a state of emergency. Later in the month, a slow-moving low-pressure system brought heavy rain and strong southerly winds to the lower North Island, particularly Wellington and the Wairarapa region. Landslide damage has become the most frequently claimed natural hazard in New Zealand over the past five years, with nearly 13,000 claims, a significant increase from the previous five-year period. More information on extreme weather can be found at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
El Niño conditions are forecast to persist and strengthen through the remainder of 2026, with an 80% chance of reaching or exceeding strong intensity during the July–September period. This is expected to lead to continued warmer temperatures across New Zealand, with an increased likelihood of drier conditions for northern and eastern areas and wetter conditions for the west and lower South Island, particularly from September onwards. For more details on the evolving ENSO phase, visit ENSO.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – New Zealand
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
New Zealand – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – New Zealand
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfb · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in New Zealand. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (9.3°C, from 1940–1969); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 10.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Jun (+2.3°C). The warmest month has shifted from Feb to Jan.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Climate Systems
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Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for New Zealand
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in New Zealand changing?
New Zealand is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for New Zealand come from?
Climate data for New Zealand comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the New Zealand climate data cover?
The New Zealand climate profile covers Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for New Zealand
How often is the New Zealand climate update refreshed?
The New Zealand climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.