Climate
Hamilton has a temperate, damp climate, with about 1,184 mm (46.6 in) of rainfall annually. Daily maximum temperatures range from about 22 to 26C (72–79F) in January and February to 10 to 15C (50–59F) in July and August. The highest temperature recorded in Hamilton was 34.7C (95F), and the coldest temperature of -9.9C (14F) - the lowest of the major New Zealand cities.
Summer occasionally sees temperatures of more than 28 °C (82 °F), while on clear winter mornings temperatures may drop to as low as −3 °C (27 °F). Ground frosts are common and snow is possible but rare. The only recorded snowfall in modern times was light snow flakes in mid August 2011 during a prolonged cold period that saw snow fall as far north as Dargaville. Typically summers are warm and dry and winters cool and wet. On average, Hamilton sees around 2,000 hours of sunshine each year (see table below).
Thick fog is common on winter mornings, and often lasts until late morning. Fog is most common near the river, the extensive gully system and rural areas - and impacts on the operation of the airport. Frost is also a common sight during winter. As Hamilton's climate is not being modified by an ocean, it is cooler during the night than places like Auckland and Tauranga, despite its low elevation.
As a result of its inland and low-altitude location of 20m above sea level, Hamilton has one of the lowest wind speed averages for a city in New Zealand. Due to these conditions, Hamilton temperatures are often warmer than neighbouring cities during summer. However, the same conditions also make it colder during winter.
| Climate data for Hamilton, New Zealand | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
20 (68) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
14 (57) |
15 (59) |
16 (61) |
18 (64) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
18.9 (66) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 13 (55) |
13 (55) |
12 (54) |
9 (48) |
7 (45) |
5 (41) |
4 (39) |
5 (41) |
7 (45) |
8 (46) |
10 (50) |
12 (54) |
8.7 (47.7) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 85 (3.35) |
71 (2.8) |
87 (3.43) |
95 (3.74) |
102 (4.02) |
119 (4.69) |
126 (4.96) |
117 (4.61) |
102 (4.02) |
96 (3.78) |
93 (3.66) |
95 (3.74) |
1,184 (46.61) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 177 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 217 | 196 | 186 | 150 | 124 | 90 | 124 | 120 | 155 | 186 | 210 | 217 | 1,975 |
| Source: NIWA | |||||||||||||
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