# New Zealand’s changing climate: Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns

Date: 2 Oct 2026
Released by: Stats NZ

## MediaRelease.co Summary

Stats NZ says New Zealand’s average annual temperature rose 1.36°C over the 117 years to 2025, with 2022 the warmest year on record in the series. Updated atmosphere and climate indicators also show shifting rainfall patterns across 30 long-term monitoring sites, published with partner agency MCERT.

## Original release

Over time, temperatures in New Zealand have increased and the pattern of rainfall across the country has changed, according to data released by Stats NZ today. Data for most of our atmosphere and climate environmental indicators came from 30 climate stations around the country monitored by Earth Sciences New Zealand. Information on temperature, rainfall, wind, and other climate-related data has been collected at these sites for many decades, enabling us to analyse long-term trends. Stats NZ publishes and updates environmental indicators on the state of New Zealand’s environment as part of a joint environmental reporting programme with partner Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT). We used this data to see how New Zealand’s climate has changed over time, and how changes differ across the country. Temperatures rise across the country New Zealand’s average annual temperature has been recorded since 1909. Over the 117 years to 2025, the average annual temperature in New Zealand increased by 1.36 degrees Celsius (°C). The warmest year was 2022, with an average temperature of 13.76°C. The 1991 to 2020 baseline average temperature was 12.74°C. The last year with an average temperature below this baseline was 2012. “Across the country, average temperatures are rising fastest in winter and slowest in spring,” environment statistics spokesperson Tehseen Islam said. “Increasing temperature can impact agriculture, energy demand, ecosystems, recreation, and human health.” Data from the 30 climate stations show that average annual temperatures increased across the country. Text alternative for graph and map Trends in average annual temperature at 30 New Zealand sites, 1972–2025 Different rainfall patterns in North and South Islands While temperature increased across the country, rainfall patterns are more complex. From 1960 to 2025, nine climate stations recorded an increase in average annual rainfall and six recorded a decrease. For the North Island the average rainfall pattern was quite mixed, with some places getting wetter and some getting increasingly drier. Meanwhile, the South Island was generally getting wetter. “Changing rainfall, especially seasonal changes like the increases in spring, can impact farmers and fisheries,” Islam said. “Changing rainfall patterns can also impact hydro lake storage levels, influencing the capacity to generate and supply hydroelectricity.” The rainiest site of the 30 climate stations was Milford Sound in Southland, which had 180 mm more rain every decade. More than twice as much rain fell in Milford Sound each year on average as fell in the next wettest site in Hokitika, on the West Coast. Text alternative for graph and map Trends in average annual rainfall at 30 New Zealand sites, 1960–2025 Extreme events contribute more of our rainfall Extreme rainfall can result in flooding and landslips. These events can disrupt transport and damage property, businesses, mahinga kai (natural food resources), and agriculture. They can also endanger lives. The natural environment can also be damaged, with some of our critically endangered species at particular risk. One measure of extreme rainfall is the percentage of rain from very wet days. A day is considered very wet if there is more rain on that day than on 95 percent of days between 1991 and 2020. The threshold for a very wet day is specific to each site. Between 1960 and 2025, 11 of 30 climate stations recorded an increasing share of annual rainfall from extreme rainfall events, while three recorded a decrease. Text alternative for graph and map Trends in percentage of rainfall from very wet days at 30 New Zealand sites, 1960–2025 Trend statistics reported here have at least 90 percent likelihood (‘very likely’). More results, plus information on methods and limitations, are available in the environmental indicators published today: - Atmospheric ozone: Data to 2025 - Drought and wet periods: Data to 2025 - El Niño Southern Oscillation: Data to 2025 - Extreme rainfall: Data to 2025 - Extreme wind: Data to 2025 - Frost and growing degree days: Data to 2025 - Greenhouse gas concentrations: Data to 2025 - Rainfall: Data to 2025 - Sunshine hours: Data to 2025 - Temperature: Data to 2025 .

## Key details

- Author/spokesperson: Stats NZ
- Published: 2 Oct 2026
- Publisher country: New Zealand
- Subject country/region: New Zealand
- Original source: https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/new-zealands-changing-climate-rising-temperatures-and-shifting-rainfall-patterns/
- MediaRelease.co URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01150-new-zealands-changing-climate-rising-temperatures-02102026.html

Original source: https://www.stats.govt.nz/news/new-zealands-changing-climate-rising-temperatures-and-shifting-rainfall-patterns/
MediaRelease.co canonical URL: https://mediarelease.co/nz/mr01150-new-zealands-changing-climate-rising-temperatures-02102026.html