April temperatures in New Zealand

[Plant]

I've checked several sites and most say that the temps in New Zealand in April are between 60 and 70 F, 20 C. Do you think this is accurate? Jeans or shorts??

Thanks,

Fern

[CruiserBruce]

What sites did you use? If they are weather sites, those are factual data based on historical records. Anything you get here will be antecdotal, not data based.

 

Clothing depends on your comfort. I wear shorts above 60 degrees, but DW doesn't, until about 80.

[GUT2407]

I've checked several sites and most say that the temps in New Zealand in April are between 60 and 70 F, 20 C. Do you think this is accurate? Jeans or shorts??

Thanks,

Fern

 

That's probably close depending where in NZ you are Today Aukland is expecting 13-23, Christchurch 9-20. Gives you a fair range.

 

For me that's jeans, for my mate from Canada shorts.

[celle]

April in NZ this year was warmer than usual. We consistently had temperatures above 20 degrees C.

[OzKiwiJJ]

If you're lucky, shorts in the north of the North Island, but definitely jeans down south. You can't go on one figure for NZ temperatures, it varies quite a bit from North to South, you might get 20C in Auckland, the Bay of Islands and Tauranga but it can be different year to year. We cruised NZ from Auckland in December last year. The scenic cruising day through Fiordland (Milford Sound etc) was very cold.

 

As another example some years ago we toured the South Island in March. On one day in Christchurch it was a balmy 25C (77F), the next day it never got above 9C (48F).

 

Pack for all weathers, layers, a rain jacket, a warm hat, gloves and scarf.

[GUT2407]

If you're lucky, shorts in the north of the North Island, but definitely jeans down south. You can't go on one figure for NZ temperatures, it varies quite a bit from North to South, you might get 20C in Auckland, the Bay of Islands and Tauranga but it can be different year to year. We cruised NZ from Auckland in December last year. The scenic cruising day through Fiordland (Milford Sound etc) was very cold.

 

As another example some years ago we toured the South Island in March. On one day in Christchurch it was a balmy 25C (77F), the next day it never got above 9C (48F).

 

Pack for all weathers, layers, a rain jacket, a warm hat, gloves and scarf.

 

 

Yep always layers, but that my moto for any cruise.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Celle, off topic but ... I love your John Masefield quote - one of my favourites. :)

 

My late father always used to quote "The sea, the sea, the open sea, the blue, the fresh, the ever free". Finally I've looked it up and the first verse is very appropriate for us cruise addicts:

 

"The sea ! the sea ! the open sea !

The blue, the fresh, the ever free !

Without a mark, without a bound,

It runneth the earth's wide regions round.

It plays with the clouds, it mocks the sky,

Or like a cradled creature lies.

I'm on the sea ! I'm on the sea'.

I am where I would ever be ;

With the blue above, and the sea below,

And silence prevails whereso'er I go.

If a storm should come & awake the deep,

What matter, I shall ride and sleep."

 

:)

[OzKiwiJJ]

Yep always layers, but that my moto for any cruise.

 

Me too, but the light fleece stayed firmly at the back of the wardrobe on our recent cruise which departed 6th April. I was expecting it to be on the cool side from Sydney to Brisbane. Nope, it was hot the whole way to Hong Kong. :D

[Host Bonjour]

I've checked several sites and most say that the temps in New Zealand in April are between 60 and 70 F, 20 C. Do you think this is accurate? Jeans or shorts??

Thanks,

Fern

 

I was on South Island in April and it varied from Christchurch to Ashburton to Dunedin to Hokatika to Fox Glacier (especially on top of the glacier) so...you get the picture BUT don't worry, you need not pack for it all :eek

 

Overall, I thought the weather was incredible, sunny and pleasantly mild during the day - I didn't need a jacket. I only felt a chill down in Dunedin as it's way south and even then, mostly at night I felt quite cold but perhaps because I was just very tired from a busy day. Indeed - *layers* always work, a fleece helps. I bought a fantastic wool sweater in NZ - not because I needed it but because it was made locally, on sale and beautiful.

 

So don't worry - just think about enjoying the trip - the perfect time to be there :)

[Plant]

Celle, off topic but ... I love your John Masefield quote - one of my favourites. :)

 

My late father always used to quote "The sea, the sea, the open sea, the blue, the fresh, the ever free".

 

Love it! Here's the whole poem:

The Sea

 

Barry Cornwall (1787–1874)

 

THE SEA! the sea! the open sea!

The blue, the fresh, the ever free!

Without a mark, without a bound,

It runneth the earth’s wide regions round;

It plays with the clouds; it mocks the skies; 5

Or like a cradled creature lies.

 

I ’m on the sea! I ’m on the sea!

I am where I would ever be;

With the blue above, and the blue below,

And silence wheresoe’er I go; 10

If a storm should come and awake the deep,

What matter? I shall ride and sleep.

 

I love, O, how I love to ride

On the fierce, foaming, bursting tide,

When every mad wave drowns the moon 15

Or whistles aloft his tempest tune,

And tells how goeth the world below,

And why the sou’west blasts do blow.

 

I never was on the dull, tame shore,

But I lov’d the great sea more and more, 20

And backwards flew to her billowy breast,

Like a bird that seeketh its mother’s nest;

And a mother she was, and is, to me;

For I was born on the open sea!

The waves were white, and red the morn, 25

 

In the noisy hour when I was born;

And the whale it whistled, the porpoise roll’d,

And the dolphins bared their backs of gold;

And never was heard such an outcry wild

As welcom’d to life the ocean-child! 30

 

I ’ve liv’d since then, in calm and strife,

Full fifty summers, a sailor’s life,

With wealth to spend and a power to range,

But never have sought nor sighed for change;

And Death, whenever he comes to me, 35

Shall come on the wild, unbounded sea!

[Plant]

Thanks for the weather info! I think I'll take two or three pair of jeans and a light jacket along with what I usually pack. If I get cold (not very likely!) I'm sure I can buy something warmer :)!

[GUT2407]

Celle, off topic but ... I love your John Masefield quote - one of my favourites. :)

 

My late father always used to quote "The sea, the sea, the open sea, the blue, the fresh, the ever free". Finally I've looked it up and the first verse is very appropriate for us cruise addicts:

 

"The sea ! the sea ! the open sea !

The blue, the fresh, the ever free !

Without a mark, without a bound,

It runneth the earth's wide regions round.

It plays with the clouds, it mocks the sky,

Or like a cradled creature lies.

I'm on the sea ! I'm on the sea'.

I am where I would ever be ;

With the blue above, and the sea below,

And silence prevails whereso'er I go.

If a storm should come & awake the deep,

What matter, I shall ride and sleep."

 

:)

 

It was also recited by one of "The Boys" in the old Yes What? radio comedy (which will mean nothing to the overseas readers but a lot to Aussies of a certain age) Botomly I think.

[GUT2407]

Thanks for the weather info! I think I'll take two or three pair of jeans and a light jacket along with what I usually pack. If I get cold (not very likely!) I'm sure I can buy something warmer :)!

 

For what it's worth, I always take at least one T-Shirt that can go under my shirt as well.