Wellington, New Zealand Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Wellington
Set in New Zealand, Wellington works through an oceanic year: January afternoons near 68°F (20°C), July afternoons near 54°F (12°C), and about 40.5 inches (1029 mm) of precipitation between them.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: January - highs near 68°F (20°C)
- Coldest month: July - highs near 54°F (12°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 79°F (26°C) high · 36°F (2°C) low
- Wettest month: July (13 rainy days) · Sunniest: January (12.2 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 7°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 4°C
- Average humidity: 79%
Temperatures through the year
July is the coolest month, with highs of 54°F (12°C) and lows near 47°F (8°C). Warmth peaks in January: highs of 68°F (20°C), lows of 59°F (15°C). Days and nights are about 4°C apart on average - narrower than almost anywhere else we cover.
Rain, sun and snow
Between the average January and the average July lie 7°C, a narrower spread than about 81% of the cities we track. Relative humidity averages 79% across the year, more humid than roughly 80% of the cities we track. Four of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is December through March. July is the wettest month at 4.2 inches (107 mm) over 13 days; January is the driest. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 79°F (26°C) and bottoms at 36°F (2°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Wellington compares
- Wellington sits close to the middle of our dataset on most measures: 57°F (14°C) as an annual average, 40.5 inches (1029 mm) of precipitation and 9.2 hours of sun a day.
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 | 68° | 59° | 7 | 1.6 in | 12.2 h/day | 14.8 h | 23% | 78% |
| February | 67° | 60° | 8 | 3.2 in | 10.9 h/day | 13.8 h | 27% | 78% |
| March | 65° | 57° | 10 | 2.9 in | 9.6 h/day | 12.5 h | 31% | 78% |
| April | 62° | 55° | 10 | 3.7 in | 8.5 h/day | 11.0 h | 32% | 79% |
| May | 59° | 52° | 12 | 3.8 in | 7.3 h/day | 9.8 h | 38% | 78% |
| June | 55° | 49° | 11 | 4.0 in | 6.3 h/day | 9.2 h | 38% | 79% |
| July | 54° | 47° | 13 | 4.2 in | 6.7 h/day | 9.5 h | 43% | 78% |
| August | 54° | 48° | 14 | 4.0 in | 7.7 h/day | 10.5 h | 44% | 79% |
| September | 55° | 49° | 13 | 3.6 in | 8.8 h/day | 11.9 h | 42% | 78% |
| October | 58° | 51° | 12 | 2.9 in | 10.1 h/day | 13.3 h | 39% | 79% |
| November | 61° | 54° | 11 | 3.4 in | 10.9 h/day | 14.5 h | 37% | 79% |
| December | 64° | 57° | 11 | 3.1 in | 11.5 h/day | 15.1 h | 34% | 80% |
Wellington month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Wellington's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 12.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.8 h
February
- Rain
- 8 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 13.8 h
March
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
April
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 8.5 h
- Daylight
- 11.0 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 7.3 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
June
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 6.3 h
- Daylight
- 9.2 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 6.7 h
- Daylight
- 9.5 h
August
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.5 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
October
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.1 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
November
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
December
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 15.1 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Wellington
Spring (September through November)
Through spring, Wellington runs cool rather than cold: 58°F (15°C) by day, 51°F (11°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 36 of the 90 days.
Summer (December through February)
Through summer, Wellington is crisp but comfortable: 66°F (19°C) by day, 59°F (15°C) after dark, and expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.5 hours of sun a day.
Fall (March through May)
Fall runs cool rather than cold here - highs near 62°F (17°C), nights near 55°F (13°C), and rain falls on around 31 of the 90 days.
Winter (June through August)
Winter in Wellington is mild, with daytime highs averaging 54°F (12°C) and nights around 48°F (9°C); rain falls on around 38 of the 90 days.
Climate questions, answered
How much do temperatures drop at night in Wellington?
What should I wear in Wellington?
How many rainy days does Wellington get in a year?
Is Wellington hot in summer?
Is Wellington humid?
Is Wellington cold in winter?
Best time to visit Wellington
November to April is the sweet spot for Wellington - warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up. Expect 64°F (18°C) in the afternoon and around 9 days of rain in a typical month of it. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.
Pack for Wellington with a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. Even in January, lows of 59°F (15°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Wellington 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.