Wellington weather by month & the best time to visit
New Zealand · seaside town · oceanic / maritime climate
The best time to visit Wellington is February — its sunniest month (Sunshine Score 83/100), with January close behind. Wellington averages about 2,510 hours of sunshine a year. Daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F and roughly 58 mm of rain in February.
When is the best time to visit Wellington?
For sunshine, the best time to visit Wellington is February, then January. The dullest month is July (26/100, 86 mm of rain). The full month-by-month picture is in the table below.
How sunny is Wellington?
Wellington gets a lot of sun: around 2,510 hours a year. 57 Sunshine Score points separate February (83) from July (26), so the month you pick matters. It ranks #3 of 26 destinations in New Zealand for annual sunshine, above the national median of 2,342 hours. The year's 857 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 | 77 | 19° / 66°F | 15° / 59°F | 51 mm | 10 | 19° / 66°F |
| February | 83 | 20° / 68°F | 15° / 59°F | 58 mm | 8 | 18° / 64°F |
| March | 69 | 18° / 64°F | 14° / 57°F | 58 mm | 6 | 17° / 63°F |
| April | 54 | 16° / 61°F | 13° / 55°F | 70 mm | 3 | 16° / 61°F |
| May | 39 | 14° / 57°F | 11° / 52°F | 80 mm | 2 | 15° / 59°F |
| June | 32 | 13° / 55°F | 10° / 50°F | 92 mm | 1 | 14° / 57°F |
| July | 26 | 12° / 54°F | 9° / 48°F | 86 mm | 1 | 13° / 55°F |
| August | 26 | 12° / 54°F | 9° / 48°F | 82 mm | 2 | 13° / 55°F |
| September | 34 | 13° / 55°F | 10° / 50°F | 70 mm | 3 | 14° / 57°F |
| October | 40 | 14° / 57°F | 10° / 50°F | 77 mm | 5 | 14° / 57°F |
| November | 55 | 16° / 61°F | 12° / 54°F | 64 mm | 7 | 16° / 61°F |
| December | 67 | 18° / 64°F | 14° / 57°F | 69 mm | 9 | 17° / 63°F |
Sea temperature in Wellington by month
The sea off Wellington is warmest in January at around 19°C / 66°F, and coolest in July at 13°C / 55°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 Wellington compares month by month: Wellington vs Christchurch · Wellington vs Palmerston North · Wellington vs New Plymouth · Wellington vs Blenheim · all comparisons
Wellington: questions and answers
What kind of destination is Wellington?
Wellington is a seaside town in New Zealand with a oceanic / maritime climate — the sea reaches 19°C at its warmest.
How many hours of sunshine does Wellington get a year?
Wellington gets about 2,510 hours of sunshine a year, at its best around February.
When is the best time to visit Wellington?
The sunniest time to visit Wellington is February, when the Sunshine Score peaks at 83/100 (with January close behind). Expect daytime highs around 20°C / 68°F.
What is the least sunny month in Wellington?
July is the least sunny month in Wellington, scoring 26/100 with about 86 mm of rain.
What is the sea temperature in Wellington?
The sea in Wellington ranges from about 13°C (July) to 19°C (January). Month-by-month sea temperatures are on this page.
How strong is the sun in Wellington?
The typical midday UV index in Wellington peaks around 10 (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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