Weather in New Zealand in January
January 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 January is a warning: one region of New Zealand will not match another. Use a city page if you already know where you are going. January is high summer in the southern year. Do not pack New Zealand as if it were a northern winter. Compared with February and July, January sits in the middle of New Zealand's year.
- Average temp
- 17°C
13–21°C
- Rainfall
- 57 mm
Showers likely
- Sunshine
- 7.5 h
hours per day
What to expect
Daytime
Mild afternoons in New Zealand are the prize in January. 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
January is on the drier side of the year in New Zealand. Showers are possible. They do not define the month.
A shell that lives in the bag is enough. This is not June, and it should not be packed as if it were.
Evening
Evenings are cooler. A layer helps after sunset.
What to pack
Sun protection
Rain jacket
A layer for cooler evenings
Where to stay in New Zealand
Featured stays on trip1. Dates are a starting point for January.
Travel guides for New Zealand
What to read before you book.
Average weather in New Zealand
TemperatureRainfall
Similar weather in January
Other destinations whose January averages sit close to this one.
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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.
