New Plymouth weather in May
In May, New Plymouth sees average daytime highs of 15°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 183 mm of rain across 14.1 wet days and about 9.9 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.
Highs ease over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 14°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 10 h 24 min at the start of May to 9 h 30 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is New Plymouth's 6th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see New Plymouth's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 15°
- 7th warmest
- Overnight low
- 13°
- 6th coldest
- Rainfall
- 183 mm
- 14.1 wet days
- Daylight
- 9 h 54 min
- 8:24 AM – 6:16 PM
- Cloud cover
- 59%
- 6th clearest
- Wind
- 22 km/h
- 5th windiest
- Solar energy
- 2.3 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 4.3
- out of 10
New Plymouth is city of New Zealand in Taranaki Region.
- Density
- 39/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1841
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in May
Highs ease over the month, from about 16°C in the first days to 14°C by the end.
A typical May day in New Plymouth reaches about 15°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 3°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 17°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 2°C cooler than April and about 2°C warmer than June.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Avg low (°C) | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | 14 |
| 2 | 16 | 14 |
| 3 | 16 | 14 |
| 4 | 16 | 13 |
| 5 | 16 | 13 |
| 6 | 16 | 13 |
| 7 | 16 | 13 |
| 8 | 16 | 13 |
| 9 | 16 | 13 |
| 10 | 16 | 13 |
| 11 | 16 | 13 |
| 12 | 16 | 13 |
| 13 | 15 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 13 |
| 15 | 15 | 13 |
| 16 | 15 | 13 |
| 17 | 15 | 13 |
| 18 | 15 | 13 |
| 19 | 15 | 13 |
| 20 | 15 | 13 |
| 21 | 15 | 12 |
| 22 | 15 | 12 |
| 23 | 15 | 12 |
| 24 | 15 | 12 |
| 25 | 15 | 12 |
| 26 | 15 | 12 |
| 27 | 14 | 12 |
| 28 | 14 | 12 |
| 29 | 14 | 12 |
| 30 | 14 | 12 |
| 31 | 14 | 12 |
New Plymouth weather by month
How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19° / 16° | 105 | 10.1 | 14.4 | 6.1 |
| Feb | 20° / 17° | 103 | 8.9 | 13.5 | 6.3 |
| Mar | 19° / 16° | 109 | 10.6 | 12.3 | 6.1 |
| Apr | 17° / 14° | 154 | 12.5 | 11 | 5.2 |
| May | 15° / 13° | 183 | 14.1 | 9.9 | 4.3 |
| Jun | 13° / 11° | 185 | 14.6 | 9.3 | 3.4 |
| Jul | 13° / 10° | 189 | 16.2 | 9.5 | 3.0 |
| Aug | 12° / 10° | 177 | 16.2 | 10.5 | 3.0 |
| Sep | 13° / 11° | 173 | 15.6 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
| Oct | 14° / 12° | 171 | 14.9 | 13 | 3.7 |
| Nov | 15° / 13° | 134 | 12.3 | 14.1 | 4.5 |
| Dec | 17° / 15° | 160 | 13.3 | 14.7 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in May
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 26% of the time in May.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 24% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 |
| Cloudier (%) | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 51 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 51 | 49 |
| 2 | 50 | 50 |
| 3 | 50 | 50 |
| 4 | 50 | 50 |
| 5 | 51 | 49 |
| 6 | 50 | 50 |
| 7 | 50 | 50 |
| 8 | 50 | 50 |
| 9 | 50 | 50 |
| 10 | 50 | 50 |
| 11 | 50 | 50 |
| 12 | 50 | 50 |
| 13 | 50 | 50 |
| 14 | 49 | 51 |
| 15 | 49 | 51 |
| 16 | 49 | 51 |
| 17 | 49 | 51 |
| 18 | 49 | 51 |
| 19 | 49 | 51 |
| 20 | 49 | 51 |
| 21 | 50 | 50 |
| 22 | 50 | 50 |
| 23 | 50 | 50 |
| 24 | 50 | 50 |
| 25 | 49 | 51 |
| 26 | 49 | 51 |
| 27 | 50 | 50 |
| 28 | 50 | 50 |
| 29 | 50 | 50 |
| 30 | 50 | 50 |
| 31 | 49 | 51 |
Chance of precipitation in May
New Plymouth gets around 183 mm of rain over 14.1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 45% and peaks near 49% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 | 49 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 41 |
| 2 | 41 |
| 3 | 41 |
| 4 | 41 |
| 5 | 41 |
| 6 | 41 |
| 7 | 41 |
| 8 | 41 |
| 9 | 42 |
| 10 | 42 |
| 11 | 42 |
| 12 | 42 |
| 13 | 43 |
| 14 | 43 |
| 15 | 44 |
| 16 | 45 |
| 17 | 46 |
| 18 | 46 |
| 19 | 47 |
| 20 | 48 |
| 21 | 48 |
| 22 | 49 |
| 23 | 49 |
| 24 | 49 |
| 25 | 49 |
| 26 | 49 |
| 27 | 49 |
| 28 | 49 |
| 29 | 49 |
| 30 | 49 |
| 31 | 49 |
Humidity in May
Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 83% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 81 | 82 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 92 |
| Comfortable (%) | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Humid (%) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 75 | 21 | 4 |
| 2 | 75 | 21 | 4 |
| 3 | 75 | 21 | 4 |
| 4 | 75 | 21 | 4 |
| 5 | 77 | 20 | 3 |
| 6 | 77 | 20 | 3 |
| 7 | 77 | 20 | 3 |
| 8 | 78 | 19 | 3 |
| 9 | 79 | 19 | 2 |
| 10 | 80 | 18 | 2 |
| 11 | 81 | 17 | 2 |
| 12 | 81 | 17 | 2 |
| 13 | 82 | 16 | 2 |
| 14 | 82 | 16 | 2 |
| 15 | 82 | 16 | 2 |
| 16 | 83 | 15 | 2 |
| 17 | 83 | 15 | 2 |
| 18 | 84 | 15 | 1 |
| 19 | 85 | 14 | 1 |
| 20 | 85 | 14 | 1 |
| 21 | 86 | 13 | 1 |
| 22 | 87 | 12 | 1 |
| 23 | 87 | 12 | 1 |
| 24 | 88 | 11 | 1 |
| 25 | 88 | 11 | 1 |
| 26 | 89 | 10 | 1 |
| 27 | 89 | 10 | 1 |
| 28 | 90 | 9 | 1 |
| 29 | 91 | 8 | 1 |
| 30 | 91 | 8 | 1 |
| 31 | 92 | 7 | 1 |
Wind in May
Winds average 22 km/h in May.
Across May, daily wind ranges from about 20 km/h on the calmest days to 23 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Feels | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy | breezy |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | breezy |
| 2 | 20 | breezy |
| 3 | 20 | breezy |
| 4 | 21 | breezy |
| 5 | 21 | breezy |
| 6 | 21 | breezy |
| 7 | 21 | breezy |
| 8 | 21 | breezy |
| 9 | 21 | breezy |
| 10 | 21 | breezy |
| 11 | 21 | breezy |
| 12 | 22 | breezy |
| 13 | 22 | breezy |
| 14 | 22 | breezy |
| 15 | 22 | breezy |
| 16 | 22 | breezy |
| 17 | 22 | breezy |
| 18 | 23 | breezy |
| 19 | 23 | breezy |
| 20 | 23 | breezy |
| 21 | 23 | breezy |
| 22 | 23 | breezy |
| 23 | 23 | breezy |
| 24 | 23 | breezy |
| 25 | 23 | breezy |
| 26 | 23 | breezy |
| 27 | 23 | breezy |
| 28 | 23 | breezy |
| 29 | 23 | breezy |
| 30 | 23 | breezy |
| 31 | 23 | breezy |
Sunrise & sunset in May
Daylight runs from about 10 h 24 min at the start of May to 9 h 30 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 54 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 8:09 AM to 8:36 AM, and sunset from 6:32 PM to 6:06 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.3 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.2 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.1 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 8:09 | 8:10 | 8:11 | 8:12 | 8:13 | 8:14 | 8:15 | 8:16 | 8:17 | 8:18 | 8:19 | 8:20 | 8:21 | 8:22 | 8:23 | 8:24 | 8:25 | 8:26 | 8:27 | 8:27 | 8:28 | 8:29 | 8:30 | 8:31 | 8:32 | 8:33 | 8:33 | 8:34 | 8:35 | 8:36 | 8:36 |
| Sunset (PM) | 6:32 | 6:31 | 6:30 | 6:29 | 6:28 | 6:26 | 6:25 | 6:24 | 6:23 | 6:22 | 6:21 | 6:20 | 6:19 | 6:18 | 6:17 | 6:16 | 6:15 | 6:14 | 6:13 | 6:13 | 6:12 | 6:11 | 6:10 | 6:10 | 6:09 | 6:08 | 6:08 | 6:07 | 6:07 | 6:06 | 6:06 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10.4 | 8:09 | 6:32 |
| 2 | 10.3 | 8:10 | 6:31 |
| 3 | 10.3 | 8:11 | 6:30 |
| 4 | 10.3 | 8:12 | 6:29 |
| 5 | 10.2 | 8:13 | 6:28 |
| 6 | 10.2 | 8:14 | 6:26 |
| 7 | 10.2 | 8:15 | 6:25 |
| 8 | 10.1 | 8:16 | 6:24 |
| 9 | 10.1 | 8:17 | 6:23 |
| 10 | 10.1 | 8:18 | 6:22 |
| 11 | 10.0 | 8:19 | 6:21 |
| 12 | 10.0 | 8:20 | 6:20 |
| 13 | 10.0 | 8:21 | 6:19 |
| 14 | 9.9 | 8:22 | 6:18 |
| 15 | 9.9 | 8:23 | 6:17 |
| 16 | 9.9 | 8:24 | 6:16 |
| 17 | 9.8 | 8:25 | 6:15 |
| 18 | 9.8 | 8:26 | 6:14 |
| 19 | 9.8 | 8:27 | 6:13 |
| 20 | 9.8 | 8:27 | 6:13 |
| 21 | 9.7 | 8:28 | 6:12 |
| 22 | 9.7 | 8:29 | 6:11 |
| 23 | 9.7 | 8:30 | 6:10 |
| 24 | 9.6 | 8:31 | 6:10 |
| 25 | 9.6 | 8:32 | 6:09 |
| 26 | 9.6 | 8:33 | 6:08 |
| 27 | 9.6 | 8:33 | 6:08 |
| 28 | 9.6 | 8:34 | 6:07 |
| 29 | 9.5 | 8:35 | 6:07 |
| 30 | 9.5 | 8:36 | 6:06 |
| 31 | 9.5 | 8:36 | 6:06 |
Solar energy in May
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 2.3 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.8 kWh/m² to a high of 7.39 kWh/m² in January across the year — May's 2.3 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 2.8 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Dim | Dim | Dim |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.8 | Moderate |
| 2 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 3 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 4 | 2.7 | Moderate |
| 5 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 6 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 7 | 2.6 | Moderate |
| 8 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 9 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 10 | 2.5 | Moderate |
| 11 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 12 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 13 | 2.4 | Moderate |
| 14 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 15 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 16 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 17 | 2.3 | Moderate |
| 18 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 19 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 20 | 2.2 | Moderate |
| 21 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 22 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 23 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 24 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 25 | 2.1 | Moderate |
| 26 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 27 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 28 | 2.0 | Moderate |
| 29 | 2.0 | Dim |
| 30 | 2.0 | Dim |
| 31 | 2.0 | Dim |
Is May a good time to visit New Plymouth?
Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
May is a reasonable time to visit New Plymouth for sightseeing.
What to pack for New Plymouth in May
From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In May, New Plymouth sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 13°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: a warm layer and a windbreaker. About 14 days see rain.
Sea temperature near New Plymouth in May
The nearest coast averages about 17°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 19 km away) is warmest in February at about 20°C and coldest in August near 14°C.
The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 20 | Cool |
| Mar | 19 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 17 | Cool |
| Jun | 15 | Cool |
| Jul | 14 | Bracing |
| Aug | 14 | Bracing |
| Sep | 14 | Bracing |
| Oct | 14 | Bracing |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 17 | Cool |
UV index in New Plymouth in May
Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in New Plymouth peaks around January 12 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 2 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 5 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Moderate |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Where is New Plymouth?
New Plymouth sits at 39.1°S, 174.1°E, 64 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Whanganui, 127 km away.
Topography around New Plymouth
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of New Plymouth.
Within 3 km, the terrain around New Plymouth has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 106 m around an average of 43 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 665 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,459 m.
The land around New Plymouth is covered by trees (33%), artificial surfaces (29%) and grassland (21%) within 3 km, water (43%) and grassland (38%) within 16 km, and water (45%), trees (28%) and grassland (26%) within 80 km.
New Zealand travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type I
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 86% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $49,591
- 2025
- Happiness
- 7.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 100%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.5
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 9.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for New Plymouth (-39.0667°, 174.0833°, elevation 64 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).