Most snow in New Zealand falls in the mountain areas. Snow rarely falls in the coastal areas of the North Island and west of the South Island, although the east and south of the South Island may experience some snow in winter.
Snow falls in New Zealand's South Island and at higher altitudes in the North Island. It is extremely rare at sea level in the North Island. Snow is more common inland in both main islands, though snow to sea level does occur on average once or twice per year in the central and southern South Island.
Snow typically falls during the months of June through to October, though cold snaps can occur outside of this. Most snow in New Zealand falls in the mountainous areas, like the Central Plateau in the North Island, and the Southern Alps in the South Island.
Australia's alpine region experiences significant snowfall, and this area reaches from Victoria through the New South Wales regions. The aptly named “Snowy Mountains” region has substantial snowfall each winter, as does Victoria's “High Country” region, which is only a few hours drive from Melbourne.
Climate and the outdoors
New Zealand's climate is milder, colder, and wetter – which could be a positive or a negative, depending on your preferences.
Life in New Zealand tends to move at a more relaxed pace. In 2019, New Zealand was ranked as the second safest country in the world. New Zealand has a lower crime rate than Australia. Plus, you won't have to worry about any snakes!
Australia is warmer than New Zealand, with a summer average of 30°C and winter average of 15°C. New Zealand, is a touch cooler, with a summer average around 20 to 25 degrees and a winter average around 12°.
There are plenty of places to enjoy snow in Australia – some of the major destinations include the peaks of the Australian Alps like Perisher, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Selwyn, and Mt Baw Baw.
New Zealand mountains are higher than Australia and on average, tend to receive more amounts of snow fall than Australia. If the wind comes from the North, it's tropical and if it comes from the South, it's from Antartica.
26 July 1882 – Snow falls for half an hour in Melbourne.
Ruapehu is one of the most important locations to experience snowfall in New Zealand. It is also an active strato volcano which erupted last in September, 2007. The area is covered with a thick layer of snow during winters which is quite a sight to see and experience.
Snowfall in December is rare, except if you are trekking in the upper reaches of the mountains. In the capital Wellington, the average high temperature in December is 17°C, while the average low is 14°C. Auckland, New Zealand's most populous city, sees an average high and low of 20°C and 16°C, respectively.
The cost of living in New Zealand, for one person in a major city, is between NZ$3,000-NZ$4,000 per month. A family of four can expect to need NZ$5,000-NZ$6,000 per month to live.
Snow fell consistently down to sea level in Wellington for the first time since 1976, and snow even fell for a brief time in Auckland for the first time in 80 years.
As mentioned above, no it doesn't snow in Auckland. This is due to the warmer climate in the North. However, Auckland does experience colder weather during the winter period with temperatures averaging around 13°C (55.4°F) to 15°C (59°F).
Most snow in New Zealand falls in the mountainous areas, like the Central Plateau in the north, and the Southern Alps in the south. It also falls heavily in inland Canterbury and Otago.
The scarcity of snow in most of Australia's major cities comes down to many things: their location at sea level, their latitude and the lack of land mass.
If you're a beginner, a family or someone who is just looking for a bit of fun in the snow Australia ski resorts are a great. If you looking for a bit of a thrill and some deep powder then NZ's got to be your choice.
Because Australia is a medium-sized continent, separated from polar regions by the Southern Ocean, it is not subject to movements of frigid polar air during winter, of the type that sweep over the continents in the northern hemisphere during their winter.
Liawenee and surrounding Miena Dam experience annual mean maximum temperatures of 12.1 °C (53.8 °F) and 10.1 °C (50.2 °F), respectively, and are thus amongst the coldest permanently inhabited places in Australia; irrespective of Miena Dam, Liawenee is colder on this metric than notable mainland sites of a similar ...
Orange, New South Wales.
Tasmania is Australia's coldest state overall because it is closer to the polar zone compared to the other Australian states and territories, and experiences more frequent bursts of cold Antarctic air. The coldest nights occur when the conditions are clear and calm, especially if there is snow cover.
New Zealand's rather cool and temperate temperatures can easily hide the harmful effects of the sun. Yet in any season and any weather, the New Zealand sun can burn. Many people say they get more sunburned in New Zealand than anywhere else in the world, even Australia!
New Zealand as an Australian state
One of the reasons that New Zealand chose not to join Australia was due to perceptions that the indigenous Māori population would suffer as a result.
If you love beautiful beaches and vibrant cities, for example, Australia might have more appeal to you, while outdoor adventurers and adrenaline lovers are sure to fall in love with New Zealand. There's such a lot to say about each of these countries, and many different ways to compare them.