Dunedin climate
Dunedin (New Zealand) has a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb). The average temperature over the year is 11 °C52 °F, and about 687 mm27 in of precipitation falls in an average year.
Temperature by month
Precipitation by month
Dunedin climate table
| Month | High °C°F | Low °C°F | Mean °C°F | Precip. mmin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1661 | 1253 | 1457 | 692.7 |
| Feb | 1661 | 1253 | 1457 | 622.4 |
| Mar | 1560 | 1152 | 1356 | 542.1 |
| Apr | 1457 | 1050 | 1253 | 552.2 |
| May | 1253 | 847 | 1050 | 692.7 |
| Jun | 1050 | 744 | 847 | 552.2 |
| Jul | 949 | 643 | 846 | 461.8 |
| Aug | 1050 | 744 | 847 | 431.7 |
| Sep | 1152 | 745 | 949 | 471.8 |
| Oct | 1254 | 846 | 1050 | 592.3 |
| Nov | 1457 | 948 | 1153 | 632.5 |
| Dec | 1559 | 1151 | 1355 | 662.6 |
| Year | 1661 | 643 | 1152 | 68727 |
“Year” row: highest monthly high, lowest monthly low, annual mean and annual total.
| Month | Humid. | Cloud | Solar | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80% | 74% | 5.8 | 15:20 |
| Feb | 80% | 71% | 5.2 | 14:03 |
| Mar | 81% | 70% | 3.9 | 12:33 |
| Apr | 82% | 70% | 2.6 | 10:51 |
| May | 84% | 70% | 1.6 | 9:27 |
| Jun | 85% | 68% | 1.2 | 8:41 |
| Jul | 84% | 67% | 1.4 | 8:59 |
| Aug | 84% | 71% | 2.1 | 10:13 |
| Sep | 81% | 70% | 3.3 | 11:51 |
| Oct | 79% | 72% | 4.6 | 13:30 |
| Nov | 79% | 75% | 5.6 | 14:59 |
| Dec | 80% | 76% | 6.0 | 15:43 |
Humid. = average relative humidity at 2 m; cloud = average cloud amount; solar = average daily solar energy reaching the ground in kWh/m² (all-sky); daylight in hours:minutes, calculated for the 15th of each month.
What the climate of Dunedin is like
The warmest month is February, with an average high of 16 °C61 °F and a low of 12 °C53 °F. The coldest is July, when highs average 9 °C49 °F and lows 6 °C43 °F. Seasonal differences are small — just 6.3 °C11.3 °F between the warmest and the coolest month.
Annual precipitation is moderate at about 687 mm27 in. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year. The wettest month is May (69 mm2.7 in), the driest is August (43 mm1.7 in).
Relative humidity ranges from 79% in November to 85% in June. The clearest skies (lowest average cloud amount, 67%) are typical of July. Average wind speed near the ground ranges from 17 km/h (11 mph) in February to 20 km/h (13 mph) in June. Daylight lasts from about 8.7 hours in June to 15.7 hours in December.
Best time to visit Dunedin
Based on these averages, the most comfortable months for sightseeing and outdoor activities are December–March: average highs of 15 °C59 °F to 16 °C61 °F with 54 mm2.1 in to 69 mm2.7 in of precipitation per month.
The most challenging month is July, which is cold, with average highs of 9 °C49 °F.
Comfort score: months are ranked by how close they come to an average high of 21–28 °C (70–82 °F), lows above 5 °C (41 °F), little precipitation and moderate humidity. The best-ranked months of each place are recommended, even where none meets all of these. These are general rules of thumb applied to long-term averages.
What to pack for Dunedin
- Summer (December–February) — highs 1559 to 16 °C61 °F, lows 1151 to 12 °C53 °F, about 65 mm2.6 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket.
- Autumn (March–May) — highs 1253 to 15 °C60 °F, lows 847 to 11 °C52 °F, about 59 mm2.3 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket.
- Winter (June–August) — highs 949 to 10 °C50 °F, lows 643 to 7 °C44 °F, about 48 mm1.9 in of precipitation a month. Pack a warm coat, layers and closed shoes.
- Spring (September–November) — highs 1152 to 14 °C57 °F, lows 745 to 9 °C48 °F, about 56 mm2.2 in of precipitation a month. Pack long sleeves, a sweater and a medium jacket.
How Dunedin compares
Compared with Christchurch, about 310 km to the northeast, Dunedin is on average 1.1 °C1.9 °F cooler and receives 19% less precipitation (687 mm27 in vs 845 mm33 in). The difference is largest in January (3.9 °C7.1 °F cooler).
Of the 7 places in New Zealand covered by World Climates, Dunedin is the 7th warmest by annual mean temperature and the 7th wettest by annual precipitation. See all of them on the New Zealand climate page.
Places in other countries with the most similar temperature and rainfall pattern (seasons shifted for the other hemisphere where needed): Dublin (Ireland, Cfb), Isle of Man (Douglas) (United Kingdom, Cfb) and Valley (United Kingdom, Cfb).
Nearby places
- Christchurch 310 km · 12 °C54 °F · 845 mm33 in
- Wellington 615 km · 13 °C56 °F · 856 mm34 in
- Lower Hutt 628 km · 14 °C57 °F · 910 mm36 in
- Hamilton 982 km · 15 °C59 °F · 1,120 mm44 in
- Tauranga 1,024 km · 16 °C61 °F · 1,149 mm45 in
- Auckland 1,064 km · 16 °C60 °F · 1,015 mm40 in
Frequently asked questions
What is the warmest month in Dunedin?
February is the warmest month in Dunedin, with an average high of 16 °C (61 °F) and an average low of 12 °C (53 °F).
What is the coldest month in Dunedin?
July is the coldest month, with an average high of 9 °C (49 °F) and an average low of 6 °C (43 °F).
When does it rain the most in Dunedin?
May is the wettest month with about 69 mm (2.7 in) of precipitation; August is the driest with about 43 mm (1.7 in).
What is the best time to visit Dunedin?
Judging by long-term averages, the most comfortable months are December–March.
About this data
All figures are 25-year averages (January 2001 – December 2025) from the NASA POWER project. Temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation come from the MERRA-2 reanalysis (precipitation is the bias-corrected MERRA-2 product), cloud and solar values from CERES satellite data. They describe a grid cell of roughly 50–70 km, not a single weather station, so they can differ from airport records — most of all on coasts, in mountains and for rainfall. Average highs and lows are the monthly mean temperature plus/minus half of the average daily temperature range. Counts of rainy days are not part of this dataset.