Christchurch, New Zealand Climate & Monthly Averages
Christchurch has an oceanic climate. January is the hottest month, averaging 71° by day; July is the coldest at 51°.
Sunshine is a defining feature of Christchurch's climate
Set in New Zealand, Christchurch works through an oceanic year: January afternoons near 71°F (22°C), July afternoons near 51°F (11°C), and about 25.8 inches (656 mm) of precipitation between them.
How sun, temperature and rain fit together
July is the coolest month, with highs of 51°F (11°C) and lows near 38°F (4°C). Warmth peaks in January: highs of 71°F (22°C), lows of 56°F (14°C). Between the average January and the average July lie 10°C, a narrower spread than about 75% of the cities we track.
January is the brightest month at 11.5 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 9.0. Five of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is November through March. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 95°F (35°C) and bottoms at 25°F (-4°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
More climate facts for Christchurch
- Hottest month: January - highs near 71°F (22°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 51°F (11°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 95°F (35°C) high · 25°F (-4°C) low
- Wettest month: July (10 rainy days) · Sunniest: January (11.5 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 10°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Average humidity: 75%
The most comfortable sunny-weather window
Best time to visit Christchurch
The best time to visit Christchurch is generally January to April, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 68°F (20°C), with rain on about 7 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in January.
What to pack
Pack for Christchurch with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Note the gap between afternoon and night: January pairs 71°F (22°C) with 56°F (14°C).
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 71° | 56° | 8 | 2.0 in | 11.5 h/day | 15.1 h | 25% | 70% |
| February | 71° | 56° | 7 | 2.0 in | 10.6 h/day | 13.9 h | 24% | 70% |
| March | 67° | 53° | 7 | 1.9 in | 8.9 h/day | 12.5 h | 24% | 73% |
| April | 63° | 48° | 8 | 2.1 in | 8.4 h/day | 10.9 h | 26% | 76% |
| May | 58° | 44° | 8 | 1.9 in | 7.0 h/day | 9.7 h | 25% | 79% |
| June | 53° | 41° | 10 | 2.3 in | 6.0 h/day | 9.0 h | 33% | 83% |
| July | 51° | 38° | 10 | 2.9 in | 6.6 h/day | 9.2 h | 32% | 82% |
| August | 53° | 39° | 9 | 1.7 in | 7.7 h/day | 10.4 h | 28% | 80% |
| September | 57° | 42° | 9 | 1.9 in | 8.9 h/day | 11.9 h | 31% | 75% |
| October | 61° | 46° | 10 | 2.1 in | 10.2 h/day | 13.4 h | 33% | 73% |
| November | 64° | 50° | 10 | 2.4 in | 11.1 h/day | 14.7 h | 35% | 72% |
| December | 68° | 54° | 11 | 2.7 in | 11.2 h/day | 15.4 h | 35% | 70% |
Christchurch month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Christchurch's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
February
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.9 h
March
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 8.9 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
April
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
May
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 9.7 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.0 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
July
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
- Daylight
- 9.2 h
August
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.4 h
September
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 8.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
October
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 13.4 h
November
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 14.7 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 15.4 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Christchurch's coolest part of the year: July, June, August.
Seasonal weather under Christchurch's sunnier skies
Spring (September through November)
Spring in Christchurch runs cool rather than cold, with daytime highs averaging 61°F (16°C) and nights around 46°F (8°C); rain falls on around 30 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 10.1 hours of sun a day.
Summer (December through February)
Summer in Christchurch is pleasantly warm, with daytime highs averaging 70°F (21°C) and nights around 55°F (13°C); expect showers on roughly 26 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.1 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Through fall, Christchurch is mild: 62°F (17°C) by day, 48°F (9°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 23 days across the season.
Winter (June through August)
Winter is chilly here - highs near 53°F (11°C), nights near 40°F (4°C), and expect showers on roughly 28 days across the season.
How unusual is Christchurch?
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.
Christchurch temperature extremes in the 2015–2024 dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.