▁a ▁large ▁temperature ▁range , ▁apart ▁from ▁central ▁O tag o , ▁but ▁the ▁weather ▁can ▁change ▁rapidly ▁and ▁unexpected ly . ▁Near ▁subt rop ical ▁conditions ▁are ▁experienced ▁in ▁North land . ▁ ▁Most ▁settled , ▁low land ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁country ▁have ▁between ▁ 6 0 0 ▁and ▁ 1 , 6 0 0   mm ▁of ▁ra inf all , ▁with ▁the ▁most ▁rain ▁along ▁the ▁west ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁and ▁the ▁least ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁coast ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island ▁and ▁interior ▁bas ins , ▁pre domin antly ▁on ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Pla ins ▁and ▁the ▁Central ▁O tag o ▁Bas in ▁( about ▁ ▁). ▁Christ ch urch ▁is ▁the ▁dri est ▁city , ▁receiving ▁about ▁ ▁of ▁rain ▁PA , ▁while ▁Hamilton ▁is ▁the ▁wet test , ▁receiving ▁more ▁than ▁twice ▁that ▁amount ▁at ▁ ▁PA , ▁followed ▁closely ▁by ▁A uck land . ▁The ▁wet test ▁area ▁by ▁far ▁is ▁the ▁rug ged ▁F i ord land ▁region , ▁in ▁the ▁south - west ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Island , ▁which ▁has ▁between ▁ ▁of ▁rain ▁PA , ▁with ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0   mm ▁in ▁isolated ▁valle ys , ▁amongst ▁the ▁highest ▁recorded ▁ra inf alls ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁The ▁U V ▁index ▁can ▁be ▁very ▁high ▁and ▁extreme ▁in ▁the ▁h ott est ▁times ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁North ▁Island . ▁This ▁is ▁partly ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁country ' s ▁relatively