Hokitka Climate & Weather

© Juergen Schacke

Backed by its wild and beautiful beach and river, Hokitika is at the centre of an area known for rainforests and wetlands. When it rains, it rains! We have similar sunshine hours to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch but at 2800 mm per year, we enjoy much more rain.

Just 20km inland, the Alps form a ‘dam’ to moisture-laden westerly winds, with one of the world’s highest rainfalls of over 14100 mm in the headwaters of the Hokitika River.

However, as well as being sunny, this is still the least windy region in the country. Coasters and forests flourish in the equitable temperatures, warmed in winter and cooled in summer by the ocean’s influence.

When wet weather clears, dramatic cloud clearances from the south reveal New Zealand’s highest mountains, Mts Cook (Aoraki) and Tasman (Horo Kawau). Come prepared and get out into nature, whatever the weather.

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