Dunedin weather by month & the best time to visit
New Zealand · seaside town · oceanic / maritime climate
The best time to visit Dunedin is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 79/100), with January and March close behind. Dunedin averages about 2,093 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F and roughly 63 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Dunedin?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Dunedin is February, then January and March. The dullest month is July (7/100, 49 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Dunedin?
Dunedin gets a moderate 2,093 hours of sunshine a year. 72 Sunshine Score points separate February (79) from July (7), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #24 of 26 destinations in New Zealand for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,342 hours. The year's 709 mm of rain spreads fairly evenly across the months, with no pronounced dry season.
Sunshine Score by month
| Month | Score | Day high | Night low | Rain | UV | Sea |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 78 | 21° / 70°F | 11° / 52°F | 68 mm | 8 | 16° / 61°F |
| February | 79 | 20° / 68°F | 11° / 52°F | 63 mm | 7 | 16° / 61°F |
| March | 75 | 19° / 66°F | 9° / 48°F | 51 mm | 5 | 14° / 57°F |
| April | 53 | 16° / 61°F | 8° / 46°F | 61 mm | 3 | 13° / 55°F |
| May | 26 | 12° / 54°F | 6° / 43°F | 73 mm | 1 | 11° / 52°F |
| June | 13 | 10° / 50°F | 4° / 39°F | 55 mm | 1 | 10° / 50°F |
| July | 7 | 9° / 48°F | 4° / 39°F | 49 mm | 1 | 10° / 50°F |
| August | 21 | 11° / 52°F | 4° / 39°F | 45 mm | 1 | 10° / 50°F |
| September | 34 | 13° / 55°F | 5° / 41°F | 47 mm | 3 | 10° / 50°F |
| October | 46 | 15° / 59°F | 6° / 43°F | 64 mm | 4 | 11° / 52°F |
| November | 59 | 17° / 63°F | 8° / 46°F | 65 mm | 6 | 13° / 55°F |
| December | 72 | 19° / 66°F | 10° / 50°F | 68 mm | 8 | 14° / 57°F |
Sea temperature in Dunedin by month
The sea off Dunedin is warmest in January at around 16°C / 61°F, and coolest in June at 10°C / 50°F. It never reaches comfortable swimming temperatures (21°C+). Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Head-to-head
How Dunedin compares month by month: Dunedin vs Christchurch · Dunedin vs Invercargill · Dunedin vs Blenheim · all comparisons
Dunedin: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Dunedin?
Dunedin is a seaside town in New Zealand with a oceanic / maritime climate — the sea reaches 16°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Dunedin get a year?
Dunedin gets about 2,093 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Dunedin?
The sunniest time to visit Dunedin is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 79/100 (with January and March close behind). Expect daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F.
What is the least sunny month in Dunedin?
July is the least sunny month in Dunedin, scoring 7/100 with about 49 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Dunedin?
The sea in Dunedin ranges from about 10°C (June) to 16°C (January). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Dunedin?
The typical midday UV index in Dunedin peaks around 8 (very high) in January, easing to about 1 (low) in May. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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