1. The South Island High Country
Characteristics of
The South Island High Country

2. Climate
Climate is the key to all the different features, elements and processes found above the ground.
Copy the cross-section diagram from page 42 in the Geography on the Edge textbook to show the four different climate zones.

4. General climate info
Strong persistent prevailing west and northwest winds blow across the SIHC from West to East.
In the Southern Alps winds over 200kmph have been recorded.
Over a distance of only 50km across the Southern Alps rainfall decreases from over 8000mmpy on the Western side of the Alps to less than 800mm py on the East.

6. In inland basins such as The Mackenzie Basin the climate is semi-continental. Dry and sunny with hot summers – up to 30C and very cold winters – can lower to -10C. Ocean effects the climate on the West – is wet with mild winters and warm summers. This is called the maritime effect.
Snow falls mainly above 1800m
The optimum level for orographic rainfall is around 1400m
HOMEWORK – Hermitage/Mt Cook Village

7. Glacier = moving body of ice
Where? Southern Alps
What? Tasman Glacier

8. Ribbon/finger lake = long narrow lake situated in U-Shaped valley
Where? Eastern High Country
What? Lake Tekapo

9. U-shaped valley = valleys left by glaciers with deep bases and steep sides
Where? Southern Alps
What? Tasman Valley

10. Horn Peak = a pyramid shaped peak
Where? Southern Alps
What? Mt Tasman

11. Moraine = piles of debris (gravel) left by moving ice
Where? Southern Alps (recent)
What? Lateral and terminal moraine from Hooker Glacier

12. Moraine Where? Eastern High Country (old)
What? Lateral moraine Lake Pukaki

13. Scree = giant shingle slides
Where? Eastern High Country
What? Scree slope Arthur's Pass

14. Arête = a narrow knife-edged ridge
Where? Southern Alps
What? East Ridge of Mt Cook

15. Alluvial fan = material deposit at the foot of a steep mountain
Where? Eastern High Country
What? Alluvial fan near Glentanner

16. Tarn = a small lake – often formed in an old Cirque
Where? Southern Alps
What? Near Mt Aspiring

17. Intermontane Basin = lower land surrounded by mountains
Where? Eastern High Country
What? McKenzie Basin – largest in Nz covering an area 30km by 50km

18. Braided stream/river = a stream or river which splits in two or more smaller channels
Where =
Eastern High
Country
What =
Tasman River

19. Cirque = hollows in which glaciers form in at the heads of glacial valleys
Where? Southern Alps
What? Hochstetter Glacier.