Te Anau

Southland Weather in January

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

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Te Anau Invercargill Half-moon Bay Gore

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

What to Expect in Southland in January

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

Temperatures

During the day the temperature is mild in Te Anau at 17°C (63°F) and pleasant in Gore at 19°C (66°F). As night falls, temperatures generally drop to 9°C (48°F) in Gore and 8°C (46°F) in Te Anau. On average, January is the month with the highest temperature of the year in Southland, New Zealand.

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

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From high rainfall in Gore with an average of 126 mm (5 in) to heavy rainfall in Te Anau with 190 mm (7.5 in).

Explore Southland by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Southland — and find the best time to visit. (based on Te Anau)

January17°C (63°F) February17°C (63°F) March15°C (59°F) April13°C (55°F) May10°C (50°F) June7°C (45°F) This monthJuly7°C (45°F) August8°C (46°F) September10°C (50°F) October12°C (54°F) November13°C (55°F) December16°C (61°F)
Best Time to Visit Southland →

Best Places to Visit in Southland in January

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

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 Southland

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

Temperature range in Southland (January)

Precipitation variation in Southland (January)

Te Anau

In January Te Anau generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 8°C (46°F) and heavy monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
17°C (63°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
8°C (46°F)
8°C (46°F)
Monthly rainfall
192 mm (7.6 in)
190 mm (7.5 in)
167 mm (6.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
14 days
13 days
11 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
unpleasant
Climate in Te Anau →

Invercargill

In January Invercargill generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
19°C (66°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
11°C (52°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
192 hours
187 hours
166 hours
Monthly rainfall
120 mm (4.7 in)
127 mm (5 in)
112 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
18 days
15 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Invercargill →

Half-moon Bay

In January Half-moon Bay generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 11°C (52°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
17°C (63°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
10°C (50°F)
11°C (52°F)
11°C (52°F)
Monthly sun hours
192 hours
187 hours
166 hours
Monthly rainfall
125 mm (4.9 in)
130 mm (5.1 in)
111 mm (4.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
23 days
20 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Half-moon Bay →

Gore

In January Gore generally has pleasant temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 19°C (66°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 9°C (48°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are tolerable that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
18°C (64°F)
19°C (66°F)
19°C (66°F)
Min temperature
8°C (46°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Monthly sun hours
192 hours
187 hours
166 hours
Monthly rainfall
122 mm (4.8 in)
126 mm (5 in)
108 mm (4.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
17 days
17 days
13 days
Weather conditions
tolerable
tolerable
tolerable
Climate in Gore →

Garston

In January Garston generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 17°C (63°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 7°C (45°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
16°C (61°F)
17°C (63°F)
17°C (63°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
7°C (45°F)
7°C (45°F)
Monthly sun hours
223 hours
230 hours
207 hours
Monthly rainfall
152 mm (6 in)
148 mm (5.8 in)
124 mm (4.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
13 days
13 days
10 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
unpleasant
unpleasant
Climate in Garston →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Southland, 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 Southland in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Te Anau 17°C (63°F) 8°C (46°F) 190 mm (7.5 in)
Invercargill 19°C (66°F) 11°C (52°F) 127 mm (5 in)
Half-moon Bay 17°C (63°F) 11°C (52°F) 130 mm (5.1 in)
Gore 19°C (66°F) 9°C (48°F) 126 mm (5 in)
Garston 17°C (63°F) 7°C (45°F) 148 mm (5.8 in)
Manapouri 17°C (63°F) 8°C (46°F) 190 mm (7.5 in)

Southland weather in January: frequently asked questions

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

Expect poor weather across Southland, New Zealand in January. The popular destination of Te Anau averages 17°C (63°F) by day and 8°C (46°F) at night during this summer month.

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

In Te Anau, the average daytime high in January is 17°C (63°F), while nighttime temperatures drop to around 8°C (46°F).

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

Expect plenty of rainfall. Te Anau records an average of 190 mm (7.5 in) in January, putting it among the wetter months for Southland, New Zealand.

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

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Te Anau, January may not be the ideal time to visit Southland, New Zealand.

On average, the best time to visit Southland, New Zealand is in February and March with generally unpleasant weather in Te Anau.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Southland.

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.

Bucket list

Need travel inspiration? Check out our bucket list articles and be inspired.

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.

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.
Must visit in New Zealand →