Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, sits at the southern tip of the North Island on the shores of the Cook Strait, the narrow, windy channel dividing the country's two main islands, at approximately 41.29°S, 174.78°E — the southernmost capital in the world. It has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb) — mild, changeable and, above all, extremely windy — with cool summers, mild winters and rain spread through the year. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are reversed relative to the Northern.

Summer, from December to February, is very mild rather than hot, with February the warmest month — average highs around 20–21°C — tempered by the sea and the constant wind, so genuinely hot days above 25°C are uncommon and the record stands at only about 30°C. It is the sunniest, driest time of year, though cool, windy, showery interludes can still arrive at any point as fronts sweep through the strait.

Winter, from June to August, is mild and wet rather than cold, with July the coolest month — average highs around 11–12°C and lows near 6–7°C, seldom falling to freezing thanks to the surrounding sea. Snow in the city is very rare. The persistent wind, however, sharpens the feeling of cold, and this is the wettest, stormiest season, when Cook Strait gales can be ferocious.

Wellington is fairly wet, receiving around 1,250 mm of rain a year, well distributed but with a clear winter maximum around June and July, while February is the driest month; rain arrives mainly on the westerly fronts that funnel through the strait. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Wind is Wellington's defining feature: exposed at the mouth of the Cook Strait, which funnels the roaring westerlies of the Southern Ocean straight through the city, it is often called the windiest city in the world, with an average wind speed far above most cities and gusts that have topped 200 kph. The wind makes even mild days feel raw, and remnants of tropical cyclones can occasionally track down from the north in late summer to bring heavy rain and severe gales.

To follow any single measurement in Wellington more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.