Best time to visit New Zealand

• “For most first-time visitors, February and March offer the most balanced conditions.” en.mercopress.com
• “November through April is generally an excellent time to visit New Zealand.” activedownunder.com
• “The shoulder months of September, October (spring), March, and April (autumn) are the best times to visit New Zealand.” zicasso.com

4 of the 10 travel guides we read name these months.

1. January75°F / 61°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…Long, warm days with hardly any rain.January and February are generally the warmest months.Waitangi day commemorations
2. Best timeFebruary76°F / 62°F · 7 rainy daysChecking fares…One of the driest times of year, good for bush walks and boat cruises.December and February are the busiest months.
3. Best timeMarch73°F / 59°F · 8 rainy daysChecking fares…Temperatures stay above 18C on most days but drop as the month goes on.Dunedin Fringe Festival runs in March.Lake Wanaka, Milford Sound and Lake Tekapo are still a little busy.Pasifika Festival · Hokitika Wildfoods Festival
4. Best timeApril69°F / 55°F · 10 rainy daysChecking fares…Autumn foliage makes April a good month to be outdoors.Weather can swing between sunny and cold rain.Leaves change color, especially around Arrowtown.Arrowtown Autumn Festival
5. May64°F / 51°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…A transition to winter with chilly mornings and occasional rain.May through August tend to be wetter overall.Bluff Oyster and Food Festival · Rotorua Marathon
6. June60°F / 48°F · 14 rainy daysChecking fares…June to August is the best time for snow.Ski season runs from June to October.Matariki in Wellington · Queenstown Winter Festival
7. July58°F / 46°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…July is the coldest month.July and August are low season, with mild winters outside the mountains.
8. August59°F / 47°F · 15 rainy daysChecking fares…Winter offers hot springs and whale watching.Wellington on a Plate · Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival
9. September62°F / 50°F · 13 rainy daysChecking fares…First month of spring, with rising temperatures and melting snow.September is quite wet in most parts of the country.Still the middle of ski season.World of WearableArt Awards Show · Whitebait season on the West Coast
10. October64°F / 52°F · 12 rainy daysChecking fares…Ski season ends in early to mid October.Christchurch is mostly dry and sunny, with highs near 17C.Taranaki Garden Festival
11. November67°F / 55°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…Spring is in full swing and Auckland often tops 20C.Sub-zero nights are still possible in the South Island.Toast Martinborough · Queenstown Marathon
12. December72°F / 59°F · 9 rainy daysChecking fares…The first half of December can be a good time to travel.December and February are the busiest months.Late December to early January is very busy.Rhythm and Vines

Weather: Auckland averages from NIWA Climate Data (long-term averages), as listed in its climate table on Wikipedia.

• Waitangi day commemorationsWaitangi, Bay of IslandsEvery January to February
• Pasifika FestivalAucklandEvery March
• Hokitika Wildfoods FestivalHokitikaEvery March
• Arrowtown Autumn FestivalArrowtown, OtagoEvery April to May
• Bluff Oyster and Food FestivalBluff, SouthlandEvery May
• Rotorua MarathonRotorua, Bay of PlentyEvery May
• New Zealand Gold Guitar AwardsGore, SouthlandEvery May to June
• Matariki in WellingtonWellingtonEvery June to July
• Queenstown Winter FestivalQueenstown, OtagoEvery June to July
• Ski season in QueenstownThe Remarkables and Coronet Peak, QueenstownEvery June to October
• Wellington on a PlateWellingtonEvery August
• Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues FestivalPaihia and Russell, NorthlandEvery August
• World of WearableArt Awards ShowWellingtonEvery September to October
• Whitebait season on the West CoastHaast and Hokitika, West CoastEvery September to November
• Alexandra Blossom FestivalAlexandra, Central OtagoEvery September to October
• Kaikoura SeafestKaikoura, CanterburyEvery September to October
• Taranaki Garden FestivalNew Plymouth, TaranakiEvery October to November
• Toast MartinboroughMartinborough, WairarapaEvery November
• Queenstown MarathonQueenstown, OtagoEvery November
• Pohutukawa bloomCoromandel PeninsulaEvery November to January
• Rhythm and VinesWaiohika Estate, GisborneEvery December

What's the weather like in New Zealand?

Mostly temperate but it varies by region and can change quickly; January and February are warmest and July is coldest.

What is the average monthly weather like in New Zealand?

January is one of the warmest months; in autumn, March has late summer warmth while May turns chilly with occasional rain.

• Best Beaches in New Zealand19 places
• Best Places to Visit in New Zealand20 places

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