Heat stress - Cities and FUAs — Mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch
Christchurch: Heat stress - Cities and FUAs — Mean population exposure to heat was 0.7031 Days per year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Heat stress - Cities and FUAs — Mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch, 1981–2025
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Days per year.
Analysis
In 2025, heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch stood at 0.7031 Days per year.
The figure is down 54.9% on the previous year and down 74.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch peaked at 8.29 Days per year in 1998 and was at its lowest, 0 Days per year, in 1997.
That places Christchurch 1227th out of 1315 regions with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Heat stress - Cities and FUAs — Mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch, year by year
| Year | Days per year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 3.44 Days per year | — |
| 1982 | 2.39 Days per year | -30.6% |
| 1983 | 1.21 Days per year | -49.4% |
| 1984 | 0.6142 Days per year | -49.2% |
| 1985 | 4.41 Days per year | +617.6% |
| 1986 | 2.38 Days per year | -46.0% |
| 1987 | 0.7986 Days per year | -66.4% |
| 1988 | 5.45 Days per year | +582.0% |
| 1989 | 1.47 Days per year | -73.0% |
| 1990 | 7.27 Days per year | +393.5% |
| 1991 | 3.12 Days per year | -57.0% |
| 1992 | 0.0186 Days per year | -99.4% |
| 1993 | 0.5456 Days per year | +2838.9% |
| 1994 | 2.36 Days per year | +332.1% |
| 1995 | 0.9318 Days per year | -60.5% |
| 1996 | 0.0512 Days per year | -94.5% |
| 1997 | 0 Days per year | -100.0% |
| 1998 | 8.29 Days per year | — |
| 1999 | 2.72 Days per year | -67.2% |
| 2000 | 2.07 Days per year | -23.9% |
| 2001 | 1.03 Days per year | -50.0% |
| 2002 | 0.7005 Days per year | -32.3% |
| 2003 | 2.74 Days per year | +291.5% |
| 2004 | 1.78 Days per year | -35.2% |
| 2005 | 4.18 Days per year | +134.8% |
| 2006 | 2.42 Days per year | -41.9% |
| 2007 | 1.67 Days per year | -31.2% |
| 2008 | 3.61 Days per year | +116.6% |
| 2009 | 4.56 Days per year | +26.1% |
| 2010 | 1.82 Days per year | -60.0% |
| 2011 | 1.78 Days per year | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 0.2735 Days per year | -84.6% |
| 2013 | 2.43 Days per year | +788.7% |
| 2014 | 0.783 Days per year | -67.8% |
| 2015 | 2.71 Days per year | +246.2% |
| 2016 | 3.86 Days per year | +42.5% |
| 2017 | 4.9 Days per year | +26.9% |
| 2018 | 8 Days per year | +63.1% |
| 2019 | 7.33 Days per year | -8.4% |
| 2020 | 7.13 Days per year | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 3.22 Days per year | -54.8% |
| 2022 | 2.02 Days per year | -37.4% |
| 2023 | 5.02 Days per year | +148.5% |
| 2024 | 1.56 Days per year | -68.9% |
| 2025 | 0.7031 Days per year | -54.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.46 Days per year | 0.6142 Days per year | 5.45 Days per year | 9 |
| 1990s | 2.53 Days per year | 0 Days per year | 8.29 Days per year | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.48 Days per year | 0.7005 Days per year | 4.56 Days per year | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.39 Days per year | 0.2735 Days per year | 8 Days per year | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.27 Days per year | 0.7031 Days per year | 7.13 Days per year | 6 |
More population data for Christchurch
- Population by age and sex - Cities and FUAs 400,580 Persons (2024)
- Population and built-up density - Cities and FUAs — Urbanised area 48 Square kilometres (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch?
- Heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat in Christchurch was 0.7031 Days per year in 2025, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat recorded in Christchurch?
- The highest recorded value was 8.29 Days per year in 1998.
- What is the lowest heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat recorded in Christchurch?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 Days per year in 1997.
- How does Christchurch rank for heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat?
- Christchurch ranks 1227th out of 1315 regions with data for 2025.
- Is heat stress - cities and fuas — mean population exposure to heat rising or falling in Christchurch?
- Over the last ten years it is down 74.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Christchurch data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Heat stress - Cities and FUAs — Mean population exposure to heat stress. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
This dataset provides an indicator of population exposure to heat stress. Data sources and methodology The indicator uses the Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI). The UTCI enables to assess the impact of atmospheric conditions on the human body by considering air temperature, wind, radiation and humidity. UTCI values from 32°C to 38°C are considered as strong heat stress, from 38°C to 46°C as very strong heat stress, and above 46°C as extreme heat stress. Population exposure to heat stress was computed using the hourly thermal comfort indices grids from the Copernicus Climate Data Store (Di Napoli C. et al.). For each 0.25° by 0.25° grid cell, the number of days for which the maximum UTCI value is above each heat stress threshold (32°C, 38°C and 46°C) is computed. FUA and city level indicators correspond to the population-weighted average number of days above each heat stress threshold, obtained by intersecting the computed grid with the Global Human Settlement Population layer (European Commission, GHSL Data Package 2023). These estimates may differ from official subnational climate statistics due to differences in methodological approaches, such as the use of reanalysis based top down modelling versus in situ observations, along with variations in input data sources, spatial resolution, and the models and algorithms used to generate temperature estimates. Defining FUAs and cities The OECD, in cooperation with the EU, has developed a harmonised definition of functional urban areas (FUAs) to capture the economic and functional reach of cities based on daily commuting patterns (OECD, 2012). FUAs consist of: A city – defined by urban centres in the degree of urbanisation, adapted to the closest local administrative units to define a city. A commuting zone – including all local areas where at least 15% of employed residents work in the city. The delineation process includes: Assigning municipalities surrounded by a single FUA to that FUA. Excluding non-contiguous municipalities. The correspondence table between SAUs and FUAs/cities is available in parquet and csv format. The definition identifies 1 272 FUAs and 1 269 cities in all OECD member countries except Costa Rica and three accession countries. Cite this dataset OECD Regions, cities and local areas database (Heat stress - Cities and FUAs), http://oe.cd/geostats Further information OECD Local Data Portal OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance For questions and/or comments, please email CitiesStat@oecd.org