Waiheke brings the sun, you bring the fun!
Waiheke presents itself as a uniquely situated island in the pocket of the Hauraki Gulf. It has been said that a rainy Auckland is a sunny Waiheke. And this is because Waiheke actually has its own microclimate. This means that its unique area of 92km² differs from that of the mainland, and instead, this island has its own unique climate and weather patterns completely separate from Auckland and surrounding areas.
So what does this mean for sunny Waiheke?
Well, this wonderful island is protected from cold and harsh southwest winds because of its location. This means Waiheke gets much warmer temperatures and has less sticky air. It also receives much less rainfall than the likes of unpredictable Auckland, where it seems like you need a brolly with you even in summer.
As it turns out the sunniest month is always going to be January, but year-round Waiheke receives 2,200 hours of sun. If you want to toast on the beach, responsibly of course, then you might try coming to the island around February, where a common temperature is around 23°C. According to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Waiheke soaks up 100 more hours of sunshine than its Auckland counterpart.
And what about the wind you say? Mainly westerlies and south-westerlies are common occurrences. But of course, you do have the occasional north easterlies gust over the island as well.
All in all, you will find a mostly sunny weather pattern on this magical island. It definitely proves to be an entirely different experience from Auckland. It is indeed often affectionately said that a rainy day in Auckland is a sunny one on Waiheke.