Story: Ecoregions

Drought, Central Otago (2nd of 3)

Drought, Central Otago

Central Otago is the country’s driest region. Some valleys receive less than 600 millimetres of rainfall a year. It is also the hottest region. This is because of the clear skies, which allow sunlight to heat the ground. Heat radiating upward heats the air even more. Relatively warm air coming from the west also warms further as it descends from the mountains. As Central Otago is the most distant region from the coast, the sea does not moderate temperatures as much as elsewhere in New Zealand.

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Otago Daily Times
Reference: 1 October 2004, p.21

Permission of the Otago Daily Times must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Matt McGlone, 'Ecoregions - Central Otago', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13549/drought-central-otago (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Matt McGlone, published 24 Sep 2007