WanakaPhoto: Julrob Photography · CC BY-SA 4.0New Zealand · Oceania
Best time to visit Wanaka
Wanaka sits by a deep-blue lake below the New Zealand Alps: hiking and swimming in the southern summer, and skiing in the southern winter. Its mountain climate stays comparatively cool.
Climate decision
Best travel months for Wanaka
Top recommendation
Next highest scores
Historical monthly averages, not a weather forecast. Individual days and years can differ substantially.
Latest 5-year values 2021–2025
Average of the five most recent complete years compared with the 1991–2025 climate average.
January · Wet days
10.6 days/month
1991–2025: 14.3 days/month
-3.7 days/month · lower
January · Mean daily maximum
18.5 °C
1991–2025: 16.9 °C
+1.5 °C · higher
January · Monthly precipitation
90.8 mm/month
1991–2025: 125.8 mm/month
-35 mm/month · lower
January: 0/155 days at or above 30 °C; highest single value 24.6 °C.
Five-year historical sample, not a weather forecast or long-term climate trend. Individual hot days can be far above the monthly mean.
Annual profile · Balanced signals
Wanaka: no single climate figure decides
Choose a suitable temperature range first, then compare rain, sunshine and the intended trip style within that window.
Average daily highs vary by 13.8 °C and rainy days by 5.8. Temperature, dryness and sunshine should therefore be considered together.
The useful trade-off
Lowest average daily low
July · -2.3 °C
Highest average daily high
January and February · 17.1 °C
Fewest rainy days
February · 12.3
Most sunshine
January · 8.2 h
Month by month
Overall suitability per month. Tap a month for details.
All climate figures compared
The table is the complete accessible data view; the charts below highlight selected patterns.
| Month | Avg high °C | Avg low °C | Rainy days (est.) | Rain mm | Sun h/day (est.) | Humidity % | Wind m/s | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 17 | 7 | 14 | 126 | 8.2 | 77 | 2.8 | 57 |
| February | 17 | 7 | 12 | 110 | 7.3 | 78 | 2.5 | 62 |
| March | 15 | 5 | 14 | 118 | 5.5 | 82 | 2.4 | 48 |
| April | 11 | 3 | 15 | 116 | 3.6 | 87 | 2.2 | 34 |
| May | 7 | 1 | 17 | 131 | 2.2 | 92 | 2.1 | 22 |
| June | 4 | -2 | 16 | 126 | 1.7 | 94 | 1.8 | 20 |
| July | 3 | -2 | 15 | 113 | 2.0 | 94 | 1.8 | 21 |
| August | 5 | -1 | 17 | 121 | 2.9 | 91 | 2.1 | 21 |
| September | 8 | -0 | 17 | 133 | 4.4 | 87 | 2.7 | 26 |
| October | 10 | 1 | 18 | 141 | 5.9 | 83 | 2.9 | 30 |
| November | 13 | 3 | 16 | 126 | 7.6 | 80 | 2.8 | 41 |
| December | 15 | 5 | 17 | 140 | 8.1 | 79 | 2.8 | 45 |
Climate through the year
Compare temperature, rainy days, sunshine and, for coastal destinations, sea temperature month by month.
Find a place to stay
Where to stay in Wanaka
Compare available stays, prices and cancellation terms for Wanaka on Booking.com.
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Useful next decisions
More comparisons
Similar destinations
The number is the overall climate score, not a similarity score.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Wanaka?
The strongest climate months are February. Values are historical averages, not a forecast.
Which month has the highest average daily maximum temperature in Wanaka?
Average daily maximum temperatures in Wanaka are practically tied in January and February at around 17 °C.