Gisborne weather by month & the best time to visit
New Zealand · seaside town · oceanic / maritime climate
The best time to visit Gisborne is November — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 80/100), with January and February close behind. Gisborne averages about 2,202 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F and roughly 62 mm of rain in November.
When is the best time to visit Gisborne?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Gisborne is November, then January and February. The dullest month is July (28/100, 135 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Gisborne?
Gisborne gets a moderate 2,202 hours of sunshine a year. 52 Sunshine Score points separate November (80) from July (28), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #18 of 26 destinations in New Zealand for annual sunshine, below the national median of 2,342 hours. The year's 1,070 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 | 79 | 25° / 77°F | 16° / 61°F | 70 mm | 9 | 21° / 70°F |
| February | 79 | 24° / 75°F | 16° / 61°F | 67 mm | 8 | 20° / 68°F |
| March | 76 | 22° / 72°F | 15° / 59°F | 87 mm | 6 | 20° / 68°F |
| April | 69 | 19° / 66°F | 12° / 54°F | 87 mm | 4 | 18° / 64°F |
| May | 56 | 17° / 63°F | 10° / 50°F | 90 mm | 2 | 16° / 61°F |
| June | 35 | 14° / 57°F | 8° / 46°F | 117 mm | 1 | 15° / 59°F |
| July | 28 | 13° / 55°F | 7° / 45°F | 135 mm | 1 | 13° / 55°F |
| August | 36 | 14° / 57°F | 7° / 45°F | 106 mm | 2 | 13° / 55°F |
| September | 50 | 16° / 61°F | 8° / 46°F | 89 mm | 4 | 14° / 57°F |
| October | 63 | 18° / 64°F | 10° / 50°F | 85 mm | 5 | 15° / 59°F |
| November | 80 | 20° / 68°F | 12° / 54°F | 62 mm | 7 | 17° / 63°F |
| December | 78 | 22° / 72°F | 14° / 57°F | 75 mm | 8 | 20° / 68°F |
Sea temperature in Gisborne by month
The sea off Gisborne is warmest in January at around 21°C / 70°F, and coolest in July at 13°C / 55°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 1 month a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Gisborne: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Gisborne?
Gisborne is a seaside town in New Zealand with a oceanic / maritime climate — the sea reaches 21°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 1 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Gisborne get a year?
Gisborne gets about 2,202 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around November.
When is the best time to visit Gisborne?
The sunniest time to visit Gisborne is November, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 80/100 (with January and February close behind). Expect daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F.
What is the least sunny month in Gisborne?
July is the least sunny month in Gisborne, scoring 28/100 with about 135 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Gisborne?
The sea in Gisborne ranges from about 13°C (July) to 21°C (January). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Gisborne?
The typical midday UV index in Gisborne peaks around 9 (very high) in January, easing to about 1 (low) in June. Month-by-month midday UV values are in the UV column of the table on this page.
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