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Story: Nelson region

Wind roses

41.29°S Dunedin Christchurch Nelson Wellington Gisborne New Plymouth Auckland
  • Dunedin 102 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) 50 25 0 Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 Close  
  • Christchurch 62 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) 50 25 0 Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 Close  
  • Nelson 98.5 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) 50 25 0 Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 Close  
  • Wellington 25 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 50 25 0 Close  
  • Gisborne 33 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 50 25 0 Close  
  • New Plymouth 25.5 calm days per year Frequency (days per year) Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 50 25 0 Close  
  • Auckland 47.5 calm days per year Wind speed (knots) Over 21 17–21 11–16 1–10 Frequency (days per year) 50 25 0 Close  

Click on placenames to view wind rose

A wind rose is a graphic representation of a locality’s wind climate. Nelson and Wellington are on the same latitude, and only 127 km apart as the crow flies, yet their climates are quite different. Prevailing westerlies are funnelled through Cook Strait, making Wellington New Zealand’s windiest city. Nelson, on the other hand, is sheltered by a horseshoe of mountains and is one of the country’s calmest cities. The predominant wind is a south-westerly.

Source: E. Brenstrum, The New Zealand weather book. Nelson: Craig Potton, 1998, p. 98.

Using this item

Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

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How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Nelson region – Climate and environment, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/28809/wind-roses (accessed 23 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 3 September 2010, updated 1 August 2015.

Comments

Te Ara
21 April 2012
Hi Rhys, we created our graphic from The New Zealand Weather Book by E. Brenstrum, which has information for other places also. I don't know of other interactive graphics though.
Rhys
16 April 2012
Hello, Your wind rose graphic is very impressive and I would very much like to find one that had similar data for more sites in NZ for use in my research. Can anyone tell me if there is a similar map with more wind rose locations? Regards, Rhys