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Canterbury weather in January

Considering a trip to Canterbury this January and wondering about the expected weather conditions? Find all the crucial information you need right here, addressing your question:

What is the weather like in Canterbury in January?

Canterbury is a region in New Zealand. January in Canterbury generally has temperatures that range from moderate to warm, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to heavy. The month of January is in the summer season.

During the day the temperature is moderate in Mount Cook Village at 15°C and warm in West Melton at 23°C. As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 12°C in West Melton 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 Mount Cook Village with 266 mm. The days are mostly sunny, with an average total of around 238 hours of sunshine in Christchurch. The sunlight during this month doesn't just make the days brighter, it also seems to make everyone a bit more cheerful.

For specific regional insights in Canterbury for January, refer to the map provided below. For an in-depth overview of the yearly weather conditions, do visit our Canterbury climate page.

Where to go in Canterbury in January

Find the average weather conditions in January for the most popular destinations in Canterbury on the map below. Click on a destination dot for more detailed information.

Map not visible? Whoops sorry! Please refresh the page.
Legend perfect weather pleasant tolerable unpleasant poor
Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C and 29°C and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm a month).

Popular destinations in Canterbury

What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Canterbury?

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.

Christchurch
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
21°C 
11°C 
218 hours 
63 mm 
11 days 
22°C 
13°C 
238 hours 
58 mm 
8 days 
23°C 
12°C 
196 hours 
49 mm 
8 days 
Climate in Christchurch

Average weather in Kaikoura

In January Kaikoura generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

Kaikoura
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
19°C 
11°C 
90 mm 
10 days 
20°C 
13°C 
81 mm 
9 days 
20°C 
13°C 
78 mm 
9 days 
Climate in Kaikoura

Average weather in Hanmer Springs

In January Hanmer Springs generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 20°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

Hanmer Springs
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
18°C 
8°C 
104 mm 
12 days 
20°C 
9°C 
93 mm 
9 days 
20°C 
9°C 
85 mm 
9 days 
Climate in Hanmer Springs

Average weather in Lake Tekapo

In January Lake Tekapo generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

Lake Tekapo
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
17°C 
7°C 
122 mm 
10 days 
19°C 
9°C 
115 mm 
7 days 
19°C 
9°C 
100 mm 
7 days 
Climate in Lake Tekapo

Average weather in Akaroa

In January Akaroa generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C, minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

Akaroa
minimum temparatureMax temperature minimum temparatureMax temp
maximum temparatureMin temperature maximum temparatureMin temp
sun hoursMonthly sun hours sun hoursSun hours
precipitationMonthly rainfall precipitationRainfall
rain daysMonthly rainy days rain daysRainy days
conditionsWeather conditions conditionsWeather
18°C 
12°C 
218 hours 
57 mm 
12 days 
19°C 
13°C 
238 hours 
54 mm 
10 days 
20°C 
14°C 
196 hours 
47 mm 
10 days 
Climate in Akaroa

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Canterbury, in New Zealand.

Is January the best time to visit Canterbury?

We consider January to be one of the best times to travel to Canterbury. Typically, the climate in Christchurch is perfect. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

On average, the best time to visit Canterbury is in January, February, March and December with generally perfect weather in Christchurch. The weather in June, July and August, on the other hand, tends to be unpleasant.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Canterbury. Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.

  • January      
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  • 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.