Wellington became New Zealand's capital in 1865, replacing Auckland, and fills a harbour ringed by steep hills at the North Island's southern tip. Cook Strait funnels near-constant gales through the gap, giving it the highest average wind speed of any capital on earth — 'Windy Wellington' is literal, not marketing. The city sits over the Wellington Fault, which has no historical rupture but is watched closely; the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake, 30km east, lifted the harbour shoreline about a metre and a half, and building codes remain among the country's strictest. Weta Workshop's rise made it New Zealand's film and visual-effects hub, and it is the world's southernmost national capital.
Nights sit around 9°C and afternoons around 14°C, though some nights drop to 6°C.
The year in Wellington moves gently: summer afternoons sit around 21°C, winter ones around 13°C.
Some summer days reach 25°C, and some winter nights drop to 5°C.
Rain is spread through the year: about 12 days in 30 in July, the wettest month, and 5 in January.
Wind is a factor: September averages 27 km/h, enough to notice on a terrace or a bike. The air stays clean through the year.
Days stretch to about 15.0 hours of light in December and shrink to 9.0 in June — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
No month in Wellington matches what you're after, so come for the place rather than the weather. Expect fast internet (279 Mbps) and a high cost of living (about €2200 a month).
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