Wellington Weather & Climate: What is the Weather Like in Wellington?

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Temperatures in Wellington

Wellington has a reasonably mild climate throughout the year with warm summers and mild winters, especially in comparison with the rest of New Zealand. The region doesn’t experience any extremes in temperature but can feel colder than elsewhere on the North Island because of the frequent winds – more on that in the section below.

Average Daily Temperature Month by Month

• January – 18ºC (64ºF)
• February – 18ºC (64ºF)
• March – 15ºC (59ºF)
• April – 14ºC (57ºF)
• May – 12ºC (54ºF)
• June – 9ºC (48ºF)
• July – 9ºC (49ºF)
• August – 9ºC (48ºF)
• September – 11ºC (52ºF)
• October – 12ºC (53ºF)
• November – 14ºC (57ºF)
• December – 15ºC (59ºF)

Check out What is the Weather Like in New Zealand? to see more temperatures month by month around the country.

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The Climate of Wellington: Wind, Rain, Sunshine, etc.

The first thing to know about the weather pattern in Wellington is that it’s windy. The region experiences frequent gusty northerlies, which gives Wellington a reputation for being one of the windiest cities in the world.

On average, Wellington experiences 178 days a year with winds of 63km/h (39mi/h) and above. With that wind comes very changeable weather, such as frequent but short bursts of rain, an average annual of 1,249mm (49″) a year. Nevertheless, Wellington has its share of sunshine at around 2,025 sunshine hours per year.

UV levels are high, especially in summer.

Average Monthly Rainfall

• January – 70mm (2.7″)
• February – 60mm (2″)
• March – 90mm (3.5″)
• April – 100mm (4″)
• May – 120mm (4.7″)
• June – 140mm (5.5″)
• July – 140mm (5.5″)
• August – 120mm (4.7″)
• September – 100mm (4″)
• October – 100mm (4″)
• November – 70mm (2.7″)
• December – 90mm (3.5″)

© WellingtonNZ

What to Pack for Wellington

Forget the umbrella; it’s far too windy to use in Wellington. But because of the changeable weather, it’s a good idea to have a rainjacket handy any time of the year, as well as sunglasses.

Protect yourself from high UV levels by packing sunscreen and a sunhat between October and April. At any time of the year, have a mid-layer available in case the temperature drops. A jacket to take the edge of the wind is advisable from April to September.

Wellington Packing List

• Pants (jeans, skirt, leggings, etc.)
• Sneakers (casual shoes for city and park walking)
• Tops (T-shirts, shirts, singlets, etc.)
• Light long-sleeved top (sun protection in summer)
• Mid-layer (sweater, cardigan, hoody, etc.)
• Jacket (keep warm between April and September)
• Rain jacket
• Socks
• Underwear and bras
• Sunglasses
• Sunhat/cap
• Sunscreen
• Sleeping attire (pyjamas)
• Camera
• New Zealand Dollars
• Passport (proof of age for buying alcohol)
• Reusable travel shopping bags

For a more complete packing list for travelling around New Zealand, see New Zealand Packing List: What to Pack for New Zealand, as well as our seasonal packing lists:

• Packing List for Summer in New Zealand
• Packing List for Autumn or Spring in New Zealand
• Packing List for Winter in New Zealand