The Bay of Plenty climate is largely influenced by the eastward movement of weather systems and the bold topography of New Zealand. In particular, the high country of the central North Island provides shelter from the prevailing winds that cross the country from the southwest. As a result, the Bay enjoys sunny weather with frequent dry spells and light offshore winds. Tauranga, for example, receives 200 hours more sunshine per year than Auckland (see table below). At times, however, the Bay of Plenty is exposed to northerly and north-easterly airstreams that are very humid and produce heavy rainfalls. Total annual rainfall is about the same as Auckland (~1200 mm), but single rainfall events can bring downpours exceeding 300 mm in a day, as occurred in May 2005 at Matata. These extra-tropical weather systems also have a bearing on the wave climate, producing large swells from the north through to the east. When combined with storm surge, these swell waves are the major cause of coastal erosion along beaches in the Bay of Plenty.
| Annual Rainfall (mm) | Sunshine hours per year | Daily Summer Temperature Range (oC in Jan) | Daily Winter Temperature Range (oC in July) | Hottest Day (oC) | Coldest Night (oC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tauranga | 1202 | 2256 | 14 - 24 | 5 - 14 | 34 | -5 |
| Rotorua | 1411 | 2119 | 13 - 23 | 3 - 12 | 32 | -5 |
| Auckland | 1198 | 2066 | 16 - 24 | 8 - 15 | 34 | -1 |
| Hamilton | 1186 | 2013 | 13 - 24 | 4 - 14 | 35 | -10 |
| Wellington | 1246 | 2053 | 13 - 20 | 6 - 11 | 31 | -2 |
| Christchurch | 635 | 2035 | 12 - 22 | 2 - 11 | 42 | -7 |
| Dunedin | 809 | 1590 | 11 - 19 | 3 - 10 | 36 | -8 |