NZ Queenstown · Winter

Visit Queenstown
in December?

Queenstown in December: solid, though January remains peak.

Open-Meteo · 10 years · 12 months compared · -45.03°N 168.66°E
19°CMax temperature
49%Rainy days
12.6hSunshine / day

Queenstown weather in December

✅ Good
🌡️ Temperature min / max
11°C – 19°C
🌧 Rainy days
49% of days
☀️ Sunshine
12.6h per day on average
🌊 🌊 Season
Winter
⭐ ⭐ Weather score
7.1/10
📅 📅 Best month
January (7.6/10)

Should you visit Queenstown in December?

✅ Good

✅ Yes if: you want to explore the city on foot without suffering from heat.

❌ No if: you're looking for a beach destination — water and air are still cool.

🌧 Rain : █████░░░░░ 49%
🌡 Temperature : █████░░░░░ 19°C
☀️ Sunshine : █████████░ 12.6h/d

Our take: Favourable conditions in December (7.1/10). January scores higher but the gap is small.

Queenstown in December by trip type

What to expect in December

🎯 Good period — 19°C with good sunshine. Reasonable crowds In December, Queenstown sees 19°C during the day with 12.6h of sunshine per day. With 49% of rainy days, always have indoor alternatives planned. Not the best window, but acceptable if dates are constrained. January (7.6/10) is significantly better if possible.

All months for Queenstown

Month-by-month comparison

MonthMin °CMax °CRain %Precip mmSun h/dScoreSki score 🎿
🌤️ January12°C21°C38%3.513.0h7.6/104.5/10
🌤️ February12°C21°C36%4.012.4h7.5/104.5/10
🌤️ March11°C19°C34%3.210.6h7.2/104.5/10
🌦️ April8°C15°C41%3.68.7h5.8/104.3/10
🌦️ May5°C12°C43%4.16.9h4.3/104.9/10
🌦️ June3°C7°C37%3.26.1h4.0/106.6/10
🌦️ July2°C7°C43%4.05.5h3.2/106.4/10
🌦️ August2°C8°C41%3.07.6h4.1/106.5/10
🌦️ September3°C11°C48%6.79.0h4.3/105.6/10
🌦️ October5°C14°C51%5.110.5h5.0/104.8/10
🌦️ November8°C17°C47%4.012.0h7.0/104.6/10
🌦️ December11°C19°C49%4.512.6h7.1/104.4/10
Ideal Fair Challenging climate ◀ Current month · Source Open-Meteo · 10 years
📊 Data source Data based on 10 years of ERA5 records via Open-Meteo, with ECMWF seasonal adjustment. In December, Queenstown averages 19°C, 49% rainy days and 12.6h of sunshine per day. Overall weather score: 7.1/10. See methodology →

December vs January (best month)

The best month is January (score 7.6/10). Difference:

FAQ — Queenstown in December

Is December a good time to visit Queenstown?
Yes, December is a good time (7.1/10). Great for outdoor activities and hiking.
What to do in Queenstown in December?
With 19°C max and 12.6h of sunshine, focus on cultural sites, museums and local gastronomy.

Find a place to stay in Queenstown

Find places to stay in Queenstown in December Search on Hotels.com

Activities and tours in Queenstown

Guided tours, skip-the-line tickets and local experiences. Browse activities on GetYourGuide

Find a flight to Queenstown

Compare flights from all airlines. Search flights

Similar destinations in December

Other top destinations in December

Compare destinations by weather

Explore or compare

📅 Live forecast — next 12 months

Real-time data with ECMWF seasonal corrections · updated daily

Try the weather app