In addition to more than 20 million sheep, over 3.9 million people also inhabit the land of the Kiwis. But now to the essentials. As there are so many sources of information about New Zealand, this report is limited to the freeride spots of the island nation.
General
New Zealand itself lies to the east of Australia in the so-called "Roaring Forties" the roaring forties, where a lot of weather can rage. Really TIIIEFE Antarctic lows hit the archipelago unchecked and unload their wet. During the trip, we discovered that rain can have many faces. The Ducktape on the car protected us from the cool wet inside. Like the rain, the snow also comes from the Tasman Sea with the aforementioned low-pressure areas. However, there is one catch: the snow doesn't often get the chance to fall in a relaxed and unbent manner: IF POWDER, THEN WIND! And once the powder is there, you have to enjoy it quickly, because the omnipresent sea air with its salt content turns the PowPow into cardboard snow. If the temperatures drop, it will be covered in hardpack in no time. But despite these facts, a trip to the land of the Kiwis is worthwhile. Bring time and book early - you can't fly halfway around the world for 2 weeks!
The weather
Compared to our central European location, it's really "easy" to forecast the weather in the Kiwis. First of all: Of course there are mixed weather conditions etc., but you always have to start from the simplest possible model. The most important thing to know is that low-pressure areas in the southern hemisphere rotate clockwise. And this is how it works:
North winds >> temperature rise
West winds >> temperature stays the same or drops/light precipitation
South winds >> temperatures drop the last clouds disappear - weather becomes stable
Functional principle
As soon as northerly winds (northerlies) appear (temperature quite mild), the barometer drops: Low pressure area approaching. If you are on a mountain peak, it is now time to Off towards the valley! The wind slowly turns to the west and humid air masses flow in. Result: it rains or snows and the wind picks up. If the wind is blowing towards the west, the Westerlies blow. From then on, you can wax your skis/board because the southerlies cause the barometer to rise and drive away the last wisps of cloud.
Playgrounds
Two islands, two faces! Due to unique geological conditions, there are volcanoes in the north and the Alps in the south. But you have to be really lucky to get good snow - and good weather - on the North Island.
Mt Ruapehu and its mythological enemy, Mt Taranaki, sit enthroned on the North Island and really do get every cloud. They say about the summit region of Taranaki, if it doesn't rain: It's going to rain! - and that's true! We only got to know it in summer - in sunshine (2006). Ruapehu allowed us to climb to the crater lake (2003) and even revealed its head! In any case, Taranaki is more of an ice-climbing mountain than a freeride peak - boulder-hard ice hat!
The South Island is an armadillo. A long mountain range stretches from north to south and divides the island into dry and wet. In most cases, the clouds stick to the Southern Alps and discharge onto the west coast first. But woe betide them if they make it to the east. With the snowfall, the hard Westerlies usually start to work and the jets on embrasures, saddles etc. are already fizzing.
