What Are the Warmest Cities in New Zealand?

New Zealand’s climate is relatively mild year round, both in the warmest as well as the coldest parts of the country. But there are some cities that have an even better climate. If you’re a fan of warm temperatures, this article is for you.

I’m going to share with you my list of the warmest New Zealand cities with at least 5,000 residents. I’ll cover the top 10 in more detail and then present the entire ranking in a table with 40 major cities in the country.

Top 10 Warmest Cities in New Zealand

Here are the top 10 warmest places in New Zealand. They’re ranked by their annual daily mean temperature. Each city also includes temperatures in January and July to give an example of average summer and winter temperatures.

South Island is not represented in the top 10 because it’s much colder than the North Island. Dunedin is the warmest city on the South Island and it would place #19 in this ranking.

1. Whangārei – 15.75 °C

Whangārei is the northernmost major city in New Zealand and the capital of the Northland Region. It has a mild oceanic climate with high humidity year round and particularly high rainfall in the winter. Summer temperatures in Whangārei are lower than in a few other cities but winter temperatures are some of the highest.

Average high temperature in July: 15.3 °C

Average high temperature in January: 24.3 °C

2. Kaitaia – 15.7 °C

Kaitaia is a town in the Far North District, 14 km from Ahipara at the southern end of Ninety Mile Beach on the west coast. It’s the last major settlement in this part of the country, with only smaller communities further north. Kaitaia has slightly cooler summers and slightly warmer winters than Whangārei. In fact, it registers the highest temperatures in the coldest month out of all major cities in New Zealand.

Average high temperature in July: 15.6 °C

Average high temperature in January: 23.9 °C

3. Warkworth – 15.35 °C

Warkworth is located 60 km north of Auckland. It has a typical for this part of New Zealand climate that’s mild year round. The town registers more rain than the first two cities, higher than New Zealand’s average rainfall, at least on the North Island.

Average high temperature in July: 14.8 °C

Average high temperature in January: 23.9 °C

4. Auckland – 15.15 °C

The largest city of New Zealand, Auckland, is the warmest big city in the country. It has a mild year round climate with pleasant summers and mild temperatures in the winter. It’s relatively cloudy, though, with 2,003 sunshine hours a year. Rain falls on average 136 days a year. Unfortunately, compared to the previous places that get relatively little air pollution, Auckland sometimes experiences smog.

If you’re looking for cities with a similar climate to Auckland, check out my article What Cities Have a Similar Climate to Auckland?

Average high temperature in July: 14.7 °C

Average high temperature in January: 23.1 °C

5. Dargaville – 14.9 °C

Dargaville is located on the Wairoa River, 175 km northwest of Auckland. The closest beach on the west coast is Baylys Beach, 13 km west of Dargaville. This small town experiences some of the mildest winters in New Zealand. It’s the gateway to the stunning native forest of Waipoua Forest.

Average high temperature in July: 15 °C

Average high temperature in January: 23.6 °C

6. Tauranga – 14.75 °C

Tauranga is a port city in the Bay of Plenty. As the fifth largest city in New Zealand, it’s a major urban center in this part of the North Island. According to climate data from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), Tauranga is the sunniest city in New Zealand. It gets 2,346 sunshine hours a year, compared to about 2,250 in other sunniest cities. New Zealand is one of the best countries for outdoor enthusiasts and Tauranga is one of the best choices in the country for an active lifestyle with favorable weather conditions.

Average high temperature in July: 14.5 °C

Average high temperature in January: 24 °C

7. Napier – 14.75 °C

The coastal city of Napier and the neighboring inland city of Hastings in the Hawke’s Bay region are two of the driest cities on the North Island. They owe their favorable climate to the rain shadow effect of the North Island Volcanic Plateau and surrounding mountain ranges such as the Kaweka Range that block the precipitation. Because of the combination of some of the warmest and some of the sunniest climates, Napier and Hastings offer the best weather in New Zealand for those who prefer sunny, warm days as often as possible.

Average high temperature in July: 14.1 °C

Average high temperature in January: 24.5 °C

8. Whakatāne – 14.5 °C

Whakatāne is a town in the Bay of Plenty region. It’s located about 87 km southeast of Tauranga. The town often records the highest annual sunshine hours in the country. In some years, it reached up to 2,600 sunshine hours a year, though the average is 2,251 hours, less than in Tauranga.

Average high temperature in July: 15 °C

Average high temperature in January: 24 °C

9. Kawerau – 14.5 °C

Kawerau is situated 33 km southwest of Whakatāne. It has the highest precipitation out of all cities in this ranking. Kawerau has the highest summer temperatures in New Zealand after Hastings.

Average high temperature in July: 14.4 °C

Average high temperature in January: 25.4 °C

10. Hastings – 14.4 °C

Hastings, located 16 miles southwest of Napier, experiences the highest temperatures in the warmest months out of all cities in New Zealand. Because it’s not located on the coast, its high temperatures aren’t as moderated. As also one of the sunniest cities in the country, it’s one of the best places for people looking for the warmest weather possible.

Average high temperature in July: 13.9 °C

Average high temperature in January: 25.5 °C

Top 40 Warmest New Zealand Cities Ranked by the Average Temperature

Here’s a table with 40 major New Zealand cities that have at least 5,000 residents. Some cities are missing because I couldn’t find climate data for them. The data comes primarily from NIWA.

You may be also interested in checking out the warmest cities in Australia, warmest cities in Europe, or warmest cities in countries around the world.