Wānaka often experiences very cold temperatures during winter, and can often experience atmospheric inversions which can trap pollutants close to the ground. The main source of air pollution is home heating fires, however overall, air pollution is not at risk of extremely high concentrations seen in Central Otago because of the presence of the lake, which generally causes increased wind speeds. The wind patterns in the Wānaka area are very complex due to the lake and local topography. This impacts the spatial patterns of air quality, and can create small pockets where higher pollutant concentrations can build up on still nights and mornings. The areas most at risk of higher pollution are the older lakefront suburbs, and the low-lying Albert Town.
Sources of air pollution
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Source Annual percentage Winter day percentage 
Home heating
{{emissions.annualhome}}% {{emissions.winterhome}}% 
Industrial
{{emissions.annualindustry}}% {{emissions.winterindustry}}% 
Outdoor burning
{{emissions.annualoutdoor}}% {{emissions.winteroutdoor}}% 
Traffic
{{emissions.annualmotor}}% {{emissions.wintermotor}}% Relative breakdownAnnual Winter day
Seasonal variation
- Show wind speed
- Show temperature
PM10 |
PM2.5 |
Wind speed (km/h) |
Air temperature (℃) |