Christchurch Weather and Climate: A Comprehensive Guide
Christchurch has a temperate maritime climate with dry warm summers. The maximum average temperatures is 22.7°C in January, and 11.2°C in July. In winter it is common for the temperature to fall below 0°C at night.
There are on average 70 days of ground frost per year. Snow falls occur on average once or twice a year in the hill suburbs and about once or twice every two years on the plain. With an average of 2080 Christchurch can be named as a super sunny destination. Just like in the rest of New Zealand it is pretty windy all year round in Christchurch.
Average maximum day and minimum night temperature
In Christchurch, seasonal changes bring about a moderate variation in temperatures. Average daytime temperatures reach a comfortable 23°C in February. In July, the coolest month of the year, temperatures drop to a chilly 12°C.
At night, you can expect cooler temperatures, with averages dropping to around 3°C during this month. Check out our detailed temperature page for more information.Temperature ranges by month
Precipitation and rainy days
Generally, Christchurch receives mid-range precipitation levels, with 686 mm annually. Despite minor fluctuations, Christchurch enjoys fairly consistent precipitation throughout the year. In June, you can expect around 64 mm of precipitation, while in March, Christchurch receives about 48 mm.The mean monthly precipitation over the year, including rain, hail and snow
The average number of days each month with precipitation
Sunshine over the year
Christchurch can be enjoyed more throughout the sunniest month of January under a blue sky, with approximately 7.9 hours of sunshine daily. In contrast, the city experiences much darker days in June, with only 3.9 hours of sunlight per day. Visit our detailed sunshine hours page for more information.Monthly hours of sunshine
Daily hours of sunshine
Daily percentage of sunshine
Average water temperature
The mean water temperature over the year ranges from 10°C in June to 16°C in January.
Water temperature over the year
Average humidity
The relative humidity is high throughout the year in Christchurch.
The city experiences its highest humidity in July, reaching 88%. In November, the humidity drops to its lowest level at 71%. What does this mean? Read our detailed page on humidity levels for further details.
Relative humidity over the year
Average wind speed
The average wind speed over the year ranges from 3 m/s to 4 m/s. It is lower in March, April, May, June, July, August and September and higher in January, February, October, November and December.
The mean monthly wind speed over the year (meters per second)
broken clouds and no rain broken clouds and chance of slight rain partly cloudy and small chance of slight rainForecast for Christchurch
5 m/s
5 m/s
7 m/s
Select a Month of Interest
Check the conditions for any month of the year.
The best time of year to visit Christchurch in New Zealand
During the months of January, February, March and December you are most likely to experience good weather with pleasant average temperatures that fall between 20°C and 26°C.Other facts from our historical weather data:
February has an average maximum temperature of 23°C and is the warmest month of the year.
The coldest month is July with an average maximum temperature of 12°C.
June tops the wettest month list with 64 mm of rainfall.
March is the driest month with 48 mm of precipitation.
January is the sunniest month with an average of 238 hours of sunshine.
No idea where to travel to this year? We have a tool that recommends destinations based on your ideal conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.
