When to visit New Zealand?
The decision rests on several criteria. Climate score, tourist crowds and feasible activities.
What you grasp in 5 seconds
New Zealand offers 5 comfortable months, without any month really to avoid. The gap stays moderate: 7.8 in January vs 4.1 in August.
What to check next
Your tolerance for crowds and budget. The best months concentrate tourist saturation and higher prices. Shoulder seasons offer a good compromise.
Next action
Scroll down to the detailed table to compare month by month, then open the page of the month that interests you.
How we calculate the score
The score combines 4 weighted criteria using 10 years of real climate data (ERA5).
Source : ERA5 · Open-Meteo · 10 years (2016–2025) · Full methodology →
Compare all 12 months
Month-by-month details: temperature, rain, sunshine, score and verdict.
| Month | T° min | T° max | Rain % | mm/day | Sun | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☀️ January → | 15°C | 20°C | 22% | 1.5mm | 8.4h | 7.8/10 | Best period |
| ☀️ February → | 16°C | 20°C | 23% | 2.8mm | 7.8h | 7.7/10 | Best period |
| ⛅ March → | 14°C | 19°C | 25% | 2.3mm | 6.7h | 7.4/10 | Best period |
| 🌥️ April → | 13°C | 17°C | 32% | 3.3mm | 5.9h | 4.5/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ May → | 11°C | 15°C | 42% | 3.3mm | 5.0h | 4.3/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ June → | 10°C | 13°C | 48% | 3.6mm | 4.3h | 4.1/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ July → | 9°C | 12°C | 49% | 3.7mm | 4.5h | 4.1/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ August → | 9°C | 12°C | 47% | 3.2mm | 5.2h | 4.1/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ September → | 10°C | 14°C | 42% | 2.9mm | 6.0h | 4.2/10 | Decent period |
| 🌥️ October → | 11°C | 15°C | 37% | 2.5mm | 6.6h | 4.4/10 | Decent period |
| ⛅ November → | 13°C | 17°C | 31% | 2.8mm | 7.4h | 7.2/10 | Best period |
| ⛅ December → | 14°C | 18°C | 29% | 2.7mm | 7.7h | 7.4/10 | Best period |
New Zealand week by week: your odds of avoiding rain
For each week of the year: in how many years out of 10 it was mostly dry (at most 2 rainy days), 2016 to 2025.
Safest week: Jan 22 to Jan 28, mostly dry in 10 years out of 10 (1.6 rainy day(s) on average).
Most exposed: Jun 18 to Jun 24, mostly dry in 0 years out of 10 (3.6 rainy days on average).
| Jan | Jan 15/1019°C | Jan 88/1019°C | Jan 158/1020°C | Jan 2210/1021°C | Jan 298/1020°C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb | Feb 59/1020°C | Feb 127/1020°C | Feb 197/1020°C | Feb 268/1020°C | |
| Mar | Mar 58/1019°C | Mar 128/1018°C | Mar 195/1018°C | Mar 264/1018°C | |
| Apr | Apr 26/1017°C | Apr 94/1017°C | Apr 167/1017°C | Apr 238/1016°C | Apr 304/1016°C |
| May | May 76/1016°C | May 144/1015°C | May 215/1014°C | May 284/1014°C | |
| Jun | Jun 44/1013°C | Jun 112/1014°C | Jun 180/1013°C | Jun 252/1013°C | |
| Jul | Jul 23/1012°C | Jul 93/1012°C | Jul 161/1013°C | Jul 236/1012°C | Jul 303/1012°C |
| Aug | Aug 61/1012°C | Aug 134/1012°C | Aug 203/1013°C | Aug 276/1013°C | |
| Sep | Sep 31/1013°C | Sep 104/1013°C | Sep 175/1014°C | Sep 242/1014°C | |
| Oct | Oct 15/1014°C | Oct 84/1014°C | Oct 158/1015°C | Oct 226/1016°C | Oct 294/1016°C |
| Nov | Nov 57/1016°C | Nov 126/1017°C | Nov 197/1017°C | Nov 266/1018°C | |
| Dec | Dec 38/1018°C | Dec 107/1019°C | Dec 174/1018°C | Dec 247/1018°C |
A specific date? The app computes the same figure day by day.
Annual temperatures — New Zealand
Min/max temperature curves observed over the past 10 years (ERA5). Shows climate stability and trend.
For your trip
A few angles depending on what kind of trip you are planning.
Plan your trip
Hotels at their lowest outside peak season, highest on comfortable months. Shoulder seasons offer a good price/climate compromise.
🎟️ Activities & tours · New Zealand
GetYourGuide selection · free cancellation
What you need to know before you go
Three angles: the country (language, currency, safety, budget), the year-round climate, and the specifics of a beach holiday.
Country · New Zealand
🌡️ Climate
🏖️ Beach holiday
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Where is New Zealand ?
Global position + regional geographic context.