Where to go in New Zealand in winter
Winter is December to February north of the equator and in South Asia; June to August south of the equator. These are the places in New Zealand where at least two of those three months are a sweet spot or good, ranked on ten years of climate readings, public holidays and fares.
- Sweet spot
- Good
- OK
- Avoid
Winter in the north: December to February
4 of the 4 places are a sweet spot or good in at least two of December, January and February; 1 of them in each of the three.
Christchurch New Zealand
DecDecember: goodJanJanuary: goodFebFebruary: good
3 of 3 good or better · highs 20–21°C
Auckland New Zealand
DecDecember: okJanJanuary: goodFebFebruary: good
2 of 3 good or better · highs 22–23°C
Wellington New Zealand
DecDecember: okJanJanuary: sweet spotFebFebruary: sweet spot
2 of 3 good or better · highs 18–20°C
Queenstown New Zealand
DecDecember: okJanJanuary: goodFebFebruary: sweet spot
2 of 3 good or better · highs 20–21°C
Winter in the south: June to August
None of these places is a sweet spot or good in two or more of June, July and August.
Fewer than two good months
New Zealand, season by season
Winter elsewhere
Labelled and ranked by the score from London, as every month page is, until you choose your own city: then your own city's score decides, and the places are split into your own country, short hops within 1,500 km, and further away. A month counts when it is a sweet spot or good; two such months put a place on the list, and more months, then a higher average score, put it higher. The climate is each place's own, from ten years of readings. How we rank