Christchurch, New Zealand Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Christchurch
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.
Climate quick facts
- 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%
Temperatures through the year
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.
Rain, sun and snow
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.
How Christchurch compares
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
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
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Christchurch's year (left is the coldest night, right is the 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
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Christchurch
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.
Climate questions, answered
How often does it rain in Christchurch?
Is Christchurch cold in winter?
How sunny is Christchurch?
How hot does Christchurch get in summer?
What should I wear in Christchurch?
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.
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).
Christchurch temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.