A vibrant climate

 The village of Franz Josef Glacier is located under the highest mountains of New Zealand, the Southern Alps and yet is only 250 metres above sea level.

The Southern Alps  are 450 kms long sitting directly across the predominant westerly airflow of the Southern Oceans and are particularly steep raising from sea level to 3000 metres in just 15 kms. We are located at 42.5 degrees South of the Equator.

This village is set in a warm climate zone rainforest and yet has an alpine backdrop. Rainforests are not particularly cold places. It never gets real cold here on a global scale, nor does it get real hot.

Our tour venue is at the dryer, warmer section of the glacier valley with the huge overview of climate change across the highest mountains of New Zealand. It can rain at any time of the year and yet the secret of this region is the remarkably high sunshine hours. So often we kayak in the sun at the coastal section of the valley watching it raining on the village and peaks at the back of the valley.

There is three distinct climate zones in the glacier valley. the alpine section, the lowlands at the base of the mountains, (village and glacier valley) and the coastal zone.

When its raining in the village go out to the lake and beach, just 5 to 15 kms away from the mountains and you will be very surprised at the transition.Whilst the village and terminal face of the glacier gets 4 and 6 metres of rain per annum, the lake and coastal section of the valley gets just 2 metres per year.

These are personal observations of the people who have lived in the region, working in the outdoors, trained to take weather readings and observations, glacier guides, helicopter pilots, conservation workers  etc............over the last 20 years. Our government weather agency (METSERVICE) does not take weather observations in this region. Observations are taken in Hokitika, 2 hours north of here and do not give an accurate indication of the current climate.

Metservice climate models do not accurately account for local influences relating to topography, orographic uplift or moisture content in the air..............

Ring us on 0800 423 262 the day before you plan to be in this region and we will give an accurate account of the weather in our region and recommendations of how to make the best of your time whilst here.