Season guide · Christchurch · New Zealand
Christchurch in winter
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: David Palmer, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cold, crisp days and frosty nights; quiet in the city and the gateway to ski fields inland. Expect highs up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 25 rainy days across June–August.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 2°C (36°F) to 12°C (54°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 25
- Sea
- 10°C (50°F) to 11°C (52°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 12°C (54°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 8 | 9 h | 2/5 |
| July | 11°C (52°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 9 | 9.2 h | 3/5 |
| August | 12°C (54°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 8 | 10.4 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 12°C (54°F) against a yearly 17°C (63°F), and 25 of the year's roughly 90 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Christchurch Marathon (usually early June)
- June: Matariki — Māori New Year public holiday (June or July)
- August: Christchurch Arts Festival (in some years, usually August–September)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Wigram
Air Force Museum of New Zealand
At the former Wigram air base, where New Zealand military aviation began, the museum displays restored aircraft from early biplanes to Skyhawks and helicopters.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Free
- History
Gallery · Central City
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Look for the large outdoor works around the building and nearby streets, part of the gallery's public art programme.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
Museum · Christchurch Airport
International Antarctic Centre
Next to the airport, where Antarctic programmes have flown south for decades, this centre has a storm room with sub-zero wind chill, a colony of rescued little blue penguins, a 4D theatre and rides in an all-terrain Hägglund vehicle.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Market · Central City
Riverside Market
Come at lunchtime and pick from several stalls, then eat by the river on the Terrace.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Architecture · Central City
Tūranga central library
Opened in 2018 on Cathedral Square, the five-floor library has a striking facade of fins inspired by Ngāi Tahu stories, a large children's area, digital and maker spaces, and views over the square from the upper floors.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Rainy day
- Kids
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Kaikōura (About 2 hours 30 minutes by car) — Between snow-capped mountains and a deep offshore canyon, Kaikōura is famous for whale-watching trips that see sperm whales year-round, plus fur seal colonies on the peninsula walkway and crayfish from roadside stands.
- Arthur's Pass (About 2 hours by car or 2 hours 30 minutes by TranzAlpine) — The highest pass across the Southern Alps has short walks to waterfalls such as the Devil's Punchbowl, cheeky kea parrots and alpine scenery.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Christchurch?
It is a trade-off: Cold, crisp days and frosty nights; quiet in the city and the gateway to ski fields inland. The best months overall are December–March.
+What is the weather like in Christchurch in winter?
Highs of up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 2°C (36°F), with about 25 rainy days over the season.