Climate
Queenstown, despite a relatively high altitude nestled among mountains and a southerly location, experiences an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb). Summer has long warm days with temperatures that can reach 30°C while winters are cold with temperatures often in single digits with frequent snowfall, although there is no permanent snow cover during the year. As with the rest of Central Otago, Queenstown lies within the rain shadow of the Southern Alps, but being closer to the west coast the town is more susceptible to rain-bearing fronts compared to nearby Cromwell, Wanaka and Alexandra.
| Climate data for Queenstown | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 22.6 (72.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
19.9 (67.8) |
16.1 (61.0) |
11.9 (53.4) |
8.6 (47.5) |
8.2 (46.8) |
10.3 (50.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
16.2 (61.2) |
18.6 (65.5) |
20.7 (69.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 10.7 (51.3) |
10.6 (51.1) |
8.8 (47.8) |
6.2 (43.2) |
3.3 (37.9) |
0.7 (33.3) |
0.1 (32.2) |
1.3 (34.3) |
3.6 (38.5) |
5.6 (42.1) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.4 (48.9) |
5.6 (42.1) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 78 (3.07) |
58 (2.28) |
80 (3.15) |
75 (2.95) |
89 (3.5) |
82 (3.23) |
65 (2.56) |
73 (2.87) |
69 (2.72) |
95 (3.74) |
72 (2.83) |
77 (3.03) |
913 (35.94) |
| Source: NIWA Climate Data | |||||||||||||
Read more about this topic: Queenstown, New Zealand
Famous quotes containing the word climate:
“Russian forests crash down under the axe, billions of trees are dying, the habitations of animals and birds are layed waste, rivers grow shallow and dry up, marvelous landscapes are disappearing forever.... Man is endowed with creativity in order to multiply that which has been given him; he has not created, but destroyed. There are fewer and fewer forests, rivers are drying up, wildlife has become extinct, the climate is ruined, and the earth is becoming ever poorer and uglier.”
—Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860–1904)
“Ghosts, we hope, may be always with us—that is, never too far out of the reach of fancy. On the whole, it would seem they adapt themselves well, perhaps better than we do, to changing world conditions—they enlarge their domain, shift their hold on our nerves, and, dispossessed of one habitat, set up house in another. The universal battiness of our century looks like providing them with a propitious climate ...”
—Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973)
“A positive learning climate in a school for young children is a composite of many things. It is an attitude that respects children. It is a place where children receive guidance and encouragement from the responsible adults around them. It is an environment where children can experiment and try out new ideas without fear of failure. It is an atmosphere that builds children’s self-confidence so they dare to take risks. It is an environment that nurtures a love of learning.”
—Carol B. Hillman (20th century)