Queenstown, New Zealand Climate & Monthly Averages
Queenstown has an oceanic climate. January is the hottest month, averaging 70° by day; July is the coldest at 43°.
Winter sets the pace in Queenstown
Snow is a defining feature of the Queenstown year - it falls on about 28 days annually. Winter highs sit at 43°F (6°C) with lows of 34°F (1°C), while January recovers to 70°F (21°C).
January
70° by day 54° at nightJuly
43° by day 34° at nightThe cold-weather pattern in numbers
Sunshine averages 8.5 hours a day over the year, peaking in December at 11.6 hours. January is the warm end of the year, averaging 70°F (21°C) by day and 54°F (12°C) overnight. July bottoms out at 43°F (6°C) in daylight, 34°F (1°C) after dark. September is the wettest month at 6.6 inches (168 mm) over 13 days; August is the driest.
Days and nights are about 7°C apart on average - narrower than about 78% of the cities we track. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is January through March. Relative humidity averages 79% across the year, more humid than roughly 80% of the cities we track.
Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 86°F (30°C) and the lowest daily minimum 14°F (-10°C).
More climate facts for Queenstown
- Hottest month: January - highs near 70°F (21°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 43°F (6°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 86°F (30°C) high · 14°F (-10°C) low
- Wettest month: September (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: December (11.6 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 13°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 7°C
- Snow: about 28 days a year
- Average humidity: 79%
From snow season to the warmest stretch in Queenstown
Spring (September through November)
Spring in Queenstown is mild, with daytime highs averaging 56°F (13°C) and nights around 42°F (5°C); rain falls on around 42 of the 90 days, plus about 9 snowy days.
Summer (December through February)
Summer in Queenstown settles into easy warmth, with daytime highs averaging 68°F (20°C) and nights around 53°F (11°C); rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.2 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Fall is mild here - highs near 58°F (15°C), nights near 46°F (8°C), and rain falls on around 37 of the 90 days, plus about 5 snowy days.
Winter (June through August)
Winter stays firmly cold here - highs near 44°F (7°C), nights near 35°F (2°C), and rain falls on around 39 of the 90 days, plus about 14 snowy days.
The coldest and warmest values in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
Planning around winter in Queenstown
The easier weather window
The best time to visit Queenstown is generally November to March, when warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 66°F (19°C), with rain on about 12 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.
Cold-weather packing
Pack for Queenstown with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. January nights average 54°F (12°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Monthly highs, lows and seasonal change
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70° | 54° | 11 | 4.3 in | 11.2 h/day | 15.2 h | 37% | 69% |
| February | 68° | 53° | 11 | 4.7 in | 10.9 h/day | 14.0 h | 38% | 71% |
| March | 65° | 51° | 11 | 3.9 in | 9.2 h/day | 12.5 h | 34% | 75% |
| April | 58° | 46° | 13 | 4.5 in | 7.6 h/day | 10.9 h | 43% | 80% |
| May | 51° | 41° | 13 | 5.1 in | 6.1 h/day | 9.5 h | 43% | 86% |
| June | 45° | 36° | 12 | 3.9 in | 5.2 h/day | 8.8 h | 39% | 90% |
| July | 43° | 34° | 14 | 5.0 in | 5.1 h/day | 9.1 h | 45% | 90% |
| August | 46° | 35° | 14 | 3.9 in | 6.8 h/day | 10.3 h | 44% | 88% |
| September | 50° | 38° | 13 | 6.6 in | 8.2 h/day | 11.9 h | 44% | 82% |
| October | 56° | 41° | 15 | 5.4 in | 9.5 h/day | 13.5 h | 48% | 76% |
| November | 62° | 46° | 14 | 4.6 in | 11.0 h/day | 14.9 h | 47% | 73% |
| December | 67° | 51° | 15 | 4.9 in | 11.6 h/day | 15.6 h | 48% | 70% |
The route from winter to summer, month by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Queenstown's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 15.2 h
February
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.0 h
March
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 9.2 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
April
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 7.6 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
- Snow
- 1 day
May
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 6.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
- Snow
- 3 days
June
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 5.2 h
- Daylight
- 8.8 h
- Snow
- 4 days
July
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 5.1 h
- Daylight
- 9.1 h
- Snow
- 6 days
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 6.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.3 h
- Snow
- 5 days
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
- Snow
- 5 days
October
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 9.5 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
- Snow
- 3 days
November
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 14.9 h
- Snow
- 2 days
December
- Rain
- 15 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 15.6 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Queenstown's coolest part of the year: July, June, August.
Where Queenstown sits among other climates
- 29% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than all but 9% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Queenstown averages 50°F (10°C) across the year - cooler than all but 12% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.