White-water sledge and raft in Rotorua
We recommend to white-water sledge and raft in Rotorua in summer (January, February) when the Glacier melt fills the rivers. This is the best time.
When exploring climate, sunlight hours tell an important story. This page shows the total number of hours of direct sunlight per month and the average hours per day in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. This average is based on long-term data collected between 1990 and 2020.
Sunshine in Rotorua varies greatly throughout the year. The sunniest month, January, reaches an impressive 240 hours, while June, the darkest month, offers only 121 hours. The total annual amount of sun is 2136 hours.
This means the city can be enjoyed more throughout the sunniest month of January under a blue sky, with approximately 8.0 hours of sunshine daily. In contrast, the city experiences much darker days in June, with only 4.0 hours of sunlight per day.
Rotorua enjoys an average of 2136 hours of sunshine annually. Let’s compare this with some popular tourist destinations:
Athens, Greece, enjoys 2769 hours of sunshine each year, making it one of the sunniest destinations in the Mediterranean region.
Manchester, UK, experiences just around 1420 hours of sunshine annually.
Vancouver, Canada, receives approximately 1940 hours of sunshine annually.
In Tokyo, Japan, the average annual sunshine is 1930 hours, with sunny periods between rainy seasons.
September, Rotorua’s wettest month, receives 105 mm (4.1 in) of rainfall and has a maximum daytime temperature of 15°C (59°F). During the driest month January you can expect a temperature of 23°C (73°F).
For more detailed insights into the city’s temperatures, check out our Temperature page. To explore more about precipitation patterns, visit our Rotorua Precipitation page.
Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Rotorua - and find the best time to visit.
Temperature Rainfall Sunshine Humidity
See the full Rotorua climate overview or explore weather in New Zealand.
Where to go in October - average daytime high across popular destinations.
Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.
White-water sledge and raft in Rotorua
We recommend to white-water sledge and raft in Rotorua in summer (January, February) when the Glacier melt fills the rivers. This is the best time.
The Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand
It is called the most beautiful walk in New Zealand, the Tongariro Crossing. The official hiking season starts late October until end of April.
New Zealand in February: North Island or South Island?
Compare New Zealand weather in February for Auckland, Rotorua, Taupo, Christchurch and Queenstown to see which island has the best conditions.
An alternative way to discover Sydney
We have made an overview of the sights in Sydney that you must see if you want to visit Sydney in an alternative way.