The city enjoys some of the highest sunshine hours in New Zealand. The climate is warm and relatively dry resulting from its location on the east coast of the North Island. Most of New Zealand's weather patterns cross the country from the west, and the city lies in the rain shadow of the North Island Volcanic Plateau and surrounding ranges such as the Kaweka Range. However, the city is prone to the remnants of tropical cyclones from the central Pacific Ocean, which are occasionally still at storm strength by the time that they have reached Hawke's Bay
