Best time to visit Kaikōura
The best time to visit Kaikōura is January–February, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Kaikōura, Canterbury, New Zealand
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18.2 °C / 65 °F | 14.1 °C / 57 °F | 65 mm / 2.6 in | best month |
| February | 18.1 °C / 65 °F | 14.3 °C / 58 °F | 71 mm / 2.8 in | best month |
| March | 17 °C / 63 °F | 13 °C / 55 °F | 68 mm / 2.7 in | good month |
| April | 15.1 °C / 59 °F | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | good month |
| May | 13 °C / 55 °F | 9.3 °C / 49 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | good month |
| June | 10.8 °C / 51 °F | 7.4 °C / 45 °F | 98 mm / 3.9 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 10 °C / 50 °F | 6.5 °C / 44 °F | 98 mm / 3.8 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 10.4 °C / 51 °F | 6.7 °C / 44 °F | 77 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 11.8 °C / 53 °F | 7.7 °C / 46 °F | 62 mm / 2.5 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 13.3 °C / 56 °F | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | 79 mm / 3.1 in | good month |
| November | 15 °C / 59 °F | 10.9 °C / 52 °F | 67 mm / 2.6 in | good month |
| December | 16.8 °C / 62 °F | 12.9 °C / 55 °F | 86 mm / 3.4 in | good month |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: good
- AApril: good
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: good
- Best
- January–February
- Good
- March–May, October–December
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, wet days 9.2 days, average daily low 14.1 °C / 57 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
February · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 18.1 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 71 mm / 2.8 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, wet days 9 days, average daily low 14.3 °C / 58 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
March · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.2 °C / 61 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in, average daily high 17 °C / 63 °F, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, wet days 9.2 days, average daily low 13 °C / 55 °F.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
April · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 79%, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, average daily low 11.3 °C / 52 °F, wet days 10.3 days.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 75%, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily high 13 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 9.3 °C / 49 °F, wet days 10.8 days.
Against: feels like (high) 10.9 °C / 52 °F, relative humidity 78%.
October · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 81%, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily high 13.3 °C / 56 °F, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 76%.
Against: feels like (high) 11.8 °C / 53 °F, wet days 12.6 days.
November · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 81%, feels like (high) 14.1 °C / 57 °F, precipitation 67 mm / 2.6 in, average daily high 15 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, average daily low 10.9 °C / 52 °F, wet days 10.6 days.
Against: relative humidity 78%.
December · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, average daily high 16.8 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, days with heavy rain 2.7 days, average daily low 12.9 °C / 55 °F.
Against: wet days 12.2 days, relative humidity 78%.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: best
- JJune: good
- JJuly: good
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: best
- Best
- August–May
- Good
- June–July
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 65 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, wet days 9.2 days, feels like (high) 18.3 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, daylight per day 14.9 h, average daily low 14.1 °C / 57 °F, wind (daily max) 23 km/h / 14 mph.
February · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.1 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 71 mm / 2.8 in, wet days 9 days, days with heavy rain 2 days, feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, daylight per day 13.8 h, average daily low 14.3 °C / 58 °F, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 17 °C / 63 °F, precipitation 68 mm / 2.7 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, wet days 9.2 days, feels like (high) 16.2 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 13 °C / 55 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, daylight per day 12.4 h, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 15.1 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2.2 days, feels like (high) 13.6 °C / 56 °F, average daily low 11.3 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, wet days 10.3 days, daylight per day 10.9 h, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph.
May · best
In its favour: average daily high 13 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 82 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 9.3 °C / 49 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, feels like (high) 10.9 °C / 52 °F, wet days 10.8 days, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 13 mph.
Against: daylight per day 9.7 h.
June · good
In its favour: average daily high 10.8 °C / 51 °F, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, average daily low 7.4 °C / 45 °F, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, feels like (high) 8.1 °C / 47 °F, wet days 12.6 days, wind (daily max) 23 km/h / 14 mph.
Against: daylight per day 9.1 h.
July · good
In its favour: average daily high 10 °C / 50 °F, precipitation 98 mm / 3.8 in, average daily low 6.5 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, days with heavy rain 3 days, wet days 12.1 days, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph, feels like (high) 7.1 °C / 45 °F.
Against: daylight per day 9.4 h.
August · best
In its favour: average daily high 10.4 °C / 51 °F, precipitation 77 mm / 3 in, days with heavy rain 2 days, average daily low 6.7 °C / 44 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, wet days 11.3 days, feels like (high) 7.7 °C / 46 °F, wind (daily max) 21 km/h / 13 mph, daylight per day 10.4 h.
September · best
In its favour: average daily high 11.8 °C / 53 °F, precipitation 62 mm / 2.5 in, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, daylight per day 11.8 h, wet days 10.3 days, feels like (high) 9.5 °C / 49 °F, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.3 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 79 mm / 3.1 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, feels like (high) 11.8 °C / 53 °F, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, daylight per day 13.2 h, wet days 12.6 days, wind (daily max) 23 km/h / 14 mph.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 15 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 67 mm / 2.6 in, days with heavy rain 1.9 days, feels like (high) 14.1 °C / 57 °F, average daily low 10.9 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, daylight per day 14.5 h, wet days 10.6 days, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph.
December · best
In its favour: average daily high 16.8 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 86 mm / 3.4 in, feels like (high) 16.5 °C / 62 °F, average daily low 12.9 °C / 55 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, daylight per day 15.2 h, days with heavy rain 2.7 days, wet days 12.2 days, wind (daily max) 22 km/h / 14 mph.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Mount Lyford Alpine Resort, 43 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 18.3 °C | 18 °C | 16.2 °C | 13.6 °C | 10.9 °C | 8.1 °C | 7.1 °C | 7.7 °C | 9.5 °C | 11.8 °C | 14.1 °C | 16.5 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2.1 days | 2 days | 1.9 days | 2.2 days | 2 days | 2.5 days | 3 days | 2 days | 1.6 days | 1.9 days | 1.9 days | 2.7 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 1 pm | 5 pm | 11 am | 10 pm | 1 am | 2 pm | 9 am | 3 pm | 6 am | 2 pm | 3 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 12.4 h | 11.1 h | 9.9 h | 8.6 h | 7.3 h | 6.6 h | 6.9 h | 8 h | 9.4 h | 10.7 h | 11.8 h | 11.8 h |
| Relative humidity | 78% | 78% | 78% | 78% | 78% | 78% | 78% | 79% | 76% | 76% | 78% | 78% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 4.3 µg/m³ | 3.8 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 2.1 µg/m³ | 1.5 µg/m³ | 1.8 µg/m³ | 1.7 µg/m³ | 1.9 µg/m³ | 2.3 µg/m³ | 2.8 µg/m³ | 3.5 µg/m³ | 3.9 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 6.4 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 5.1 µg/m³ | 3.7 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 3.2 µg/m³ | 3 µg/m³ | 3.4 µg/m³ | 4 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ | 5.6 µg/m³ | 6.2 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.