Nelson weather by month & the best time to visit
New Zealand · seaside town · oceanic / maritime climate
The best time to visit Nelson is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 82/100), with March and November close behind. Nelson averages about 2,486 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F and roughly 60 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Nelson?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Nelson is February, then March and November. The dullest month is July (20/100, 84 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Nelson?
Nelson gets a moderate 2,486 hours of sunshine a year. 62 Sunshine Score points separate February (82) from July (20), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #5 of 26 destinations in New Zealand for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,342 hours. The year's 983 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 | 80 | 25° / 77°F | 14° / 57°F | 71 mm | 9 | 22° / 72°F |
| February | 82 | 25° / 77°F | 14° / 57°F | 60 mm | 8 | 22° / 72°F |
| March | 81 | 23° / 73°F | 12° / 54°F | 68 mm | 6 | 20° / 68°F |
| April | 71 | 19° / 66°F | 10° / 50°F | 88 mm | 3 | 17° / 63°F |
| May | 44 | 15° / 59°F | 8° / 46°F | 95 mm | 2 | 15° / 59°F |
| June | 25 | 12° / 54°F | 6° / 43°F | 104 mm | 1 | 13° / 55°F |
| July | 20 | 11° / 52°F | 5° / 41°F | 84 mm | 1 | 12° / 54°F |
| August | 33 | 13° / 55°F | 6° / 43°F | 81 mm | 2 | 12° / 54°F |
| September | 46 | 15° / 59°F | 7° / 45°F | 80 mm | 3 | 13° / 55°F |
| October | 58 | 17° / 63°F | 8° / 46°F | 91 mm | 5 | 15° / 59°F |
| November | 81 | 20° / 68°F | 10° / 50°F | 66 mm | 7 | 18° / 64°F |
| December | 76 | 22° / 72°F | 12° / 54°F | 95 mm | 8 | 21° / 70°F |
Sea temperature in Nelson by month
The sea off Nelson is warmest in January at around 22°C / 72°F, and coolest in July at 12°C / 54°F. The water sits at a comfortable 21°C or warmer roughly 3 months a year. Month-by-month sea-surface temperatures are in the Sea column of the table above.
Nearest destinations
Nelson: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Nelson?
Nelson is a seaside town in New Zealand with a oceanic / maritime climate — the sea reaches 22°C at its warmest and is swimmable (21°C+) about 3 months a year.
How many hours of sunshine does Nelson get a year?
Nelson gets about 2,486 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Nelson?
The sunniest time to visit Nelson is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 82/100 (with March and November close behind). Expect daytime highs around 25°C / 77°F.
What is the least sunny month in Nelson?
July is the least sunny month in Nelson, scoring 20/100 with about 84 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Nelson?
The sea in Nelson ranges from about 12°C (July) to 22°C (January). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Nelson?
The typical midday UV index in Nelson 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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