Best time to visit Lake Tekapo
The best time to visit Lake Tekapo is February, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Lake Tekapo, 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 | 18.3 °C / 65 °F | 8.9 °C / 48 °F | 98 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| February | 18.2 °C / 65 °F | 9 °C / 48 °F | 84 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| March | 16.3 °C / 61 °F | 7.6 °C / 46 °F | 83 mm / 3.3 in | good month |
| April | 13.2 °C / 56 °F | 5 °C / 41 °F | 105 mm / 4.1 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 9.5 °C / 49 °F | 2.2 °C / 36 °F | 114 mm / 4.5 in | neither best nor good |
| June | 5.5 °C / 42 °F | -0.7 °C / 31 °F | 101 mm / 4 in | neither best nor good |
| July | 4.5 °C / 40 °F | -1.6 °C / 29 °F | 113 mm / 4.4 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 6 °C / 43 °F | -0.6 °C / 31 °F | 90 mm / 3.6 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 9.1 °C / 48 °F | 1 °C / 34 °F | 103 mm / 4 in | neither best nor good |
| October | 11.3 °C / 52 °F | 2.5 °C / 37 °F | 132 mm / 5.2 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 14.3 °C / 58 °F | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | 104 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| December | 16.6 °C / 62 °F | 7.7 °C / 46 °F | 116 mm / 4.6 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: good
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: good
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: good
- Best
- February
- Good
- March, November–January
Why these months
January · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 18.3 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, wet days 11.2 days, relative humidity 72%.
February · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 17.8 °C / 64 °F, average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, wet days 8.9 days, average daily low 9 °C / 48 °F, relative humidity 74%.
March · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 15.2 °C / 59 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, average daily high 16.3 °C / 61 °F, wet days 9.2 days, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 76%.
November · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 81%, feels like (high) 13 °C / 55 °F, precipitation 104 mm / 4.1 in, average daily high 14.3 °C / 58 °F, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, wet days 11.8 days, relative humidity 73%, average daily low 5.2 °C / 41 °F.
December · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, average daily high 16.6 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 116 mm / 4.6 in, days with heavy rain 4 days, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F, relative humidity 73%.
Against: wet days 13.4 days.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: best
- FFebruary: best
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: neither
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- January–April, November
- Good
- September–October, December
Why these months
January · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.3 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 98 mm / 3.9 in, feels like (high) 18 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 8.9 °C / 48 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, daylight per day 15 h, days with heavy rain 3.3 days, wet days 11.2 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.
February · best
In its favour: average daily high 18.2 °C / 65 °F, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 8.9 days, feels like (high) 17.8 °C / 64 °F, average daily low 9 °C / 48 °F, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, daylight per day 13.9 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 16.3 °C / 61 °F, precipitation 83 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 9.2 days, feels like (high) 15.2 °C / 59 °F, average daily low 7.6 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 79%, daylight per day 12.4 h, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 13.2 °C / 56 °F, precipitation 105 mm / 4.1 in, feels like (high) 11.3 °C / 52 °F, average daily low 5 °C / 41 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, wet days 11.2 days, days with heavy rain 3.6 days, daylight per day 10.9 h, wind (daily max) 10 km/h / 6 mph.
September · good
In its favour: average daily high 9.1 °C / 48 °F, precipitation 103 mm / 4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, daylight per day 11.8 h, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 1 °C / 34 °F, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph, feels like (high) 6.4 °C / 44 °F.
Against: wet days 12.8 days.
October · good
In its favour: average daily high 11.3 °C / 52 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 80%, daylight per day 13.3 h, precipitation 132 mm / 5.2 in, average daily low 2.5 °C / 37 °F, feels like (high) 9.3 °C / 49 °F, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: wet days 13.7 days, days with heavy rain 4.4 days.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.3 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 104 mm / 4.1 in, feels like (high) 13 °C / 55 °F, average daily low 5.2 °C / 41 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, daylight per day 14.7 h, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, wet days 11.8 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 8 mph.
December · good
In its favour: average daily high 16.6 °C / 62 °F, precipitation 116 mm / 4.6 in, feels like (high) 16 °C / 61 °F, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, daylight per day 15.4 h, days with heavy rain 4 days, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph.
Against: wet days 13.4 days.
Skiing and snow
Wants cold and snowfall; sunshine barely matters.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: neither
- JJune: good
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: good
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: good
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- July
- Good
- June, August–October
Why these months
June · good
In its favour: snowfall 22 cm / 8.6 in, days with snow 7 days, average daily low -0.7 °C / 31 °F, wind (daily max) 9 km/h / 5 mph, daylight per day 8.9 h.
Against: average daily high 5.5 °C / 42 °F.
July · best
In its favour: snowfall 26 cm / 10.1 in, days with snow 9.1 days, average daily low -1.6 °C / 29 °F, average daily high 4.5 °C / 40 °F, wind (daily max) 9 km/h / 5 mph, daylight per day 9.3 h.
August · good
In its favour: days with snow 8.1 days, wind (daily max) 9 km/h / 5 mph, average daily low -0.6 °C / 31 °F, daylight per day 10.4 h.
Against: average daily high 6 °C / 43 °F, snowfall 17 cm / 6.5 in.
September · good
In its favour: days with snow 6.3 days, wind (daily max) 11 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 11.8 h.
Against: snowfall 11 cm / 4.2 in, average daily high 9.1 °C / 48 °F, average daily low 1 °C / 34 °F.
October · good
In its favour: days with snow 6.3 days, wind (daily max) 12 km/h / 7 mph, daylight per day 13.3 h.
Against: average daily high 11.3 °C / 52 °F, snowfall 17 cm / 6.7 in, average daily low 2.5 °C / 37 °F.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Roundhill Ski Field, 24 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 °C | 17.8 °C | 15.2 °C | 11.3 °C | 7.2 °C | 2.9 °C | 1.7 °C | 3.2 °C | 6.4 °C | 9.3 °C | 13 °C | 16 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 3.3 days | 2.5 days | 3.1 days | 3.6 days | 3.4 days | 3.2 days | 3.4 days | 2.9 days | 3.1 days | 4.4 days | 3.1 days | 4 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 4 pm | 3 pm | 6 pm | 9 pm | 12 pm | 11 am | 5 am | 11 am | 2 pm | 1 pm | 6 pm | 3 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 12 h | 11 h | 9.7 h | 8.2 h | 7 h | 6.2 h | 6.7 h | 7.9 h | 9.5 h | 10.6 h | 11.8 h | 11.8 h |
| Relative humidity | 72% | 74% | 76% | 79% | 82% | 86% | 85% | 83% | 76% | 74% | 73% | 73% |
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 | 3.2 µg/m³ | 2.7 µg/m³ | 2.1 µg/m³ | 1.3 µg/m³ | 1.7 µg/m³ | 0.9 µg/m³ | 1.1 µg/m³ | 1.4 µg/m³ | 2.1 µg/m³ | 2 µg/m³ | 2.5 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 5.2 µg/m³ | 4.8 µg/m³ | 4.2 µg/m³ | 2.9 µg/m³ | 3.7 µg/m³ | 2 µg/m³ | 2.6 µg/m³ | 3.1 µg/m³ | 5.1 µg/m³ | 4.4 µg/m³ | 4.9 µg/m³ | 4.7 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.