New Zealand weather in January
Thinking about venturing to New Zealand this January and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:
What is the weather like in New Zealand in January?
New Zealand offers a broad spectrum of weather patterns. In January, one might encounter temperatures that range from moderate to warm, and precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy.
During the day the temperature is moderate in Mount Cook Village at 15°C and warm in Mangonui at 25°C. As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 17°C in Mangonui and 5°C in Mount Cook Village.
In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Akaroa with an average of 54 mm to heavy rainfall in Haast with 406 mm. Meanwhile, Auckland enjoys close to 230 hours of sunlight. This means it's a great month if you prefer bright and sunny days.
For a closer look at January's conditions in New Zealand, see the map below. For a more detailed look at New Zealand's yearly weather, check out our New Zealand climate page.
Where to go in New Zealand in January
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Popular destinations in New Zealand
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in New Zealand?
Average weather in Auckland
In January Auckland generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Christchurch
In January Christchurch generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Queenstown
In January Queenstown generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Average weather in Rotorua
In January Rotorua generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 23°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Average weather in Taupo
In January Taupo generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in New Zealand.
Is January the best time to visit New Zealand?
We consider January to be one of the best times to travel to New Zealand. Typically, the climate in Auckland is perfect. However, the weather conditions may vary depending on your destination.
Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in January, February, March, April and November offering mostly perfect weather in Auckland. In contrast, June, July, August and September tend to have unpleasant weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in New Zealand.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to New Zealand? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in New Zealand.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.