When to go & weather

Weather

Southland has a temperamental climate; even in the height of summer, downpours are not uncommon. This is something you should resign yourself to while preparing for a cruise on one of the sounds (where the average annual rainfall is 6m or more), a bush walk, road trip or any other type of activity in or through the great outdoors.

The upside is that the reverse is also true; colder months can yield crisp, sunny days. One constant is that it’s generally a few ­degrees cooler here than areas to the north.