Manawatu Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Manawatu, New Zealand in January.

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Palmerston North Whanganui Ohakune Levin

Planning a trip to Manawatu, New Zealand this January? Here's what you need to know about the weather:

What to Expect in Manawatu in January

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

Temperatures

During the day temperatures vary from pleasant in National Park at 21°C (70°F) to warm in Feilding at 23°C (73°F). At night it cools down to 13°C (55°F) in Feilding and 11°C (52°F) in National Park.

For specific regional insights in Manawatu, New Zealand, refer to the map provided below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Whanganui with an average of 77 mm (3 in) to high rainfall in National Park with 140 mm (5.5 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is generally plentiful throughout many areas. Palmerston North enjoys about 210 hours of sunlight, ideal for those seeking sunny weather.

Explore Manawatu by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Manawatu — and find the best time to visit. (based on Palmerston North)

January22°C (72°F) February23°C (73°F) March21°C (70°F) April18°C (64°F) May16°C (61°F) This monthJune14°C (57°F) July13°C (55°F) August14°C (57°F) September15°C (59°F) October17°C (63°F) November18°C (64°F) December20°C (68°F)
Best Time to Visit Manawatu →

Best Places to Visit in Manawatu in January

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Manawatu.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Manawatu

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Manawatu, New Zealand?

Temperature range in Manawatu (January)

Precipitation variation in Manawatu (January)

Palmerston North

In January Palmerston North generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
22°C (72°F)
23°C (73°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
13°C (55°F)
13°C (55°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
210 hours
189 hours
Monthly rainfall
112 mm (4.4 in)
82 mm (3.2 in)
85 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
10 days
8 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Palmerston North →

Whanganui

In January Whanganui generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 15°C (59°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are perfect that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
21°C (70°F)
22°C (72°F)
Min temperature
13°C (55°F)
15°C (59°F)
15°C (59°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
210 hours
189 hours
Monthly rainfall
109 mm (4.3 in)
77 mm (3 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
10 days
8 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
perfect
perfect
Climate in Whanganui →

Ohakune

In January Ohakune generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
21°C (70°F)
21°C (70°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
11°C (52°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
210 hours
225 hours
205 hours
Monthly rainfall
151 mm (5.9 in)
118 mm (4.6 in)
107 mm (4.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
13 days
10 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Ohakune →

Levin

In January Levin generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 21°C (70°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
19°C (66°F)
21°C (70°F)
21°C (70°F)
Min temperature
12°C (54°F)
13°C (55°F)
14°C (57°F)
Monthly sun hours
178 hours
210 hours
189 hours
Monthly rainfall
141 mm (5.6 in)
103 mm (4.1 in)
110 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
11 days
9 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Levin →

Taumarunui

In January Taumarunui generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 22°C (72°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 12°C (54°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are pleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
20°C (68°F)
22°C (72°F)
23°C (73°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
12°C (54°F)
13°C (55°F)
Monthly sun hours
210 hours
225 hours
205 hours
Monthly rainfall
158 mm (6.2 in)
119 mm (4.7 in)
117 mm (4.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
15 days
13 days
10 days
Weather conditions
pleasant
pleasant
pleasant
Climate in Taumarunui →

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

In our records: New Zealand January extremes

Notable January records observed across cities in New Zealand in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • From our sources, the wettest January day in New Zealand brought 219 mm (8.6 in) in Whangarei on January 19, 2018.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Manawatu in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Palmerston North 22°C (72°F) 13°C (55°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)
Whanganui 21°C (70°F) 15°C (59°F) 77 mm (3 in)
Ohakune 21°C (70°F) 11°C (52°F) 118 mm (4.6 in)
Levin 21°C (70°F) 13°C (55°F) 103 mm (4.1 in)
Taumarunui 22°C (72°F) 12°C (54°F) 119 mm (4.7 in)
National Park 21°C (70°F) 11°C (52°F) 140 mm (5.5 in)

Manawatu weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Manawatu, New Zealand in January?

Expect perfect weather across Manawatu, New Zealand in January. The popular destination of Palmerston North averages 22°C (72°F) by day and 13°C (55°F) at night during this summer month.

What is the average temperature in Manawatu, New Zealand in January?

Daytime temperatures in Palmerston North peak at roughly 22°C (72°F) in January, dropping to about 13°C (55°F) overnight.

Does Manawatu, New Zealand get a lot of rain in January?

Rain is generally moderate to light in Manawatu, New Zealand during January, with Palmerston North averaging close to 82 mm (3.2 in).

Is January a Good Time to Visit Manawatu, New Zealand?

We believe that January is one of the best times to visit Manawatu, New Zealand with overall perfect weather in Palmerston North. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in January, February and March offering mostly perfect weather in Palmerston North. On the other hand, the weather in July tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Manawatu.

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 travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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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.
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