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
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