New Zealand: When is the best time to visit?
 When is the best time to visit New Zealand - especially its waterfalls? June through August is winter and they can experience snow in the mountains and frequent rains throughout the rest of the country. It gets colder the further south you go especially in the Southland areas such as the Catlins Forest, Invercargill, and Dunedin. This is their low season (outside of the ski resort areas) with the shortest days, but this is also the ski season (especialy for both Kiwis and Aussies flocking to the mountains here). September through November is spring, where you'll get a mix of all kinds of weather from rainy and cold to warm and sunny. Waterfalls are usually booming at this time. Wildflowers also bloom and decorate the landscapes. September is still considered part of ski season and October could very well be the slowest in terms of tourist activity. December through February is their summer, which is also their busiest tourist season as there's the highest likelihood of fine weather with warm temperatures and the most amount of sunlight. Mountain tramping and other outdoor pursuits are also undertaken during this season. Waterfalls can still be seen but many of the smaller ones start drying up (despite the country getting pretty consistent rain throughout the year though statistically summer is driest). March through May is their autumn. Usually there's a continuation of agreeable weather and tourists through April though tourist numbers start diminishing around this time. Waterfalling is perhaps the least optimal at this time unless winter rains (and snow) begin early towards the end of this time frame. Ski season typically starts up around May. Of course the seasonal variations given above are really generalizations because there are dramatically different climate zones in this country. For example, the Southern Alps in the South Island act as a barrier for moisture-bringing westerly storms from the Tasman Sea. Thus, the mix of alpine and temperate forests in the West Coast and South of the South Island are the wettest part of the country. Far to the north, the climate is subtropical and they experience more or less consistent temperatures. Thus for waterfalling, the best time to visit New Zealand is generally from October through December or January because that's when the waterfalls flow their best and you'll maximize your chances of agreeable weather. The snowmelt also helps to fuel alpine waterfalls during this time. But even with that said, you can still experience foul weather at any time of the year. We were there throughout November and early December and we still experienced four seasons in a day in Fiordland as well as stormy weather in the Rotorua and Central Plateau areas. For climate and almanac data (i.e. temperatures, rainfall, sunshine hours, etc.) from NIWA's website, click here.
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