Weather in New Zealand in December
December in New Zealand is mild enough that walking is the default. This is a city-break month more than a sea-holiday month.
A country pin in December is a warning: one region of New Zealand will not match another. Use a city page if you already know where you are going. December is high summer in the southern year. Do not pack New Zealand as if it were a northern winter. Compared with February and July, December sits in the middle of New Zealand's year.
- Average temp
- 16°C
13–20°C
- Rainfall
- 71 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Mild afternoons in New Zealand are the prize in December. You can eat outside on the good days. You still want something for the breeze.
This is walking weather. Shade is useful, not essential the way it is in the hot months. A long outdoor day is a reasonable plan.
Rain
Mixed skies in New Zealand in December. Dry days and wet days share the month. Outdoor plans need a backup, not a cancellation policy.
Pack a shell you will actually carry. The monthly table is the place for totals. This is the feel: usable, interrupted.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in New Zealand
Featured stays on trip1. Dates are a starting point for December.
Travel guides for New Zealand
What to read before you book.
Average weather in New Zealand
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in December
Other destinations whose December averages sit close to this one.
Check another month
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FAQs about New Zealand
Climate averages for New Zealand, 1991–2020.
The best time to visit New Zealand is between November and April, the most comfortable stretch of the year on these averages.
February is the hottest month, with an average around 17°C.
July is the wettest month, with about 116 mm of rain.
No. These are 1991–2020 climate normals from Meteostat, not a live forecast. Actual weather in any given week can differ.
