climate, with quite cold winters (June to August), cool summers (December to February), and frequent rains all year round. Being in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed compared to the northern hemisphere.
ranges from 5.5 °C (42 °F) in July to 14 °C (57 °F) in January and February.
amounts to 1,150 mm (45 in), and is frequent throughout the year, but especially in autumn and winter.
is cold even in summer, and only reaches 13 °C (55 °F) in January and February, although it doesn't drop below 10 °C (50 °F) in winter.
The city is located in the extreme south of New Zealand, in a flat area called "Southland Plains", at 46 degrees south latitude, near the coast. We are on the tourist road called
. To the northwest, in the extreme edge of the Southern Alps, is the
(and is the second windiest city in New Zealand after Wellington), both because it is exposed to westerly winds, typical of these latitudes, and because, unlike the cities located further north, it is not protected by the southern Alps.
of Antarctic origin, which can arrive all year round. In fact, in all months, the cold records are below freezing: in January 2000, in the height of summer, the temperature dropped to -1 °C (30 °F). In winter, from June to August, the temperature can drop to -7/-8 °C (18/19 °F), owing to the presence of the sea and the wind, during the day the temperature goes above freezing even on these occasions.
, even though it doesn't snow every year. Snow is more frequent in the area north of the city, further away from the sea.
during the day, although the temperature drops a lot at night. The temperature generally reaches 27/28 °C (81/82 °F) on the hottest days, but in recent years, it has occasionally exceeded 30 °C (86 °F). In January 2018 and January 2022 it reached 32 °C (90 °F).
The best time to visit Invercargill is the summer, from December to February, as it is the mildest and sunniest time of the year. However, even in summer there can be cold, windy and rainy days.
. Here are the average temperatures.
January, the warmest month of the year, is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
14.2 °C, with a minimum of
9.4 °C and a maximum of
18.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
4 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.9 °C in January 2000.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
27 °C. However, it reached
32.3 °C in January 2018.
Precipitation amounts to
115 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 20 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
18.6 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
12.8 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
February is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
14 °C, with a minimum of
9.3 °C and a maximum of
18.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
3 °C. However, it dropped to
0.4 °C in February 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
26.5 °C. However, it reached
32.1 °C in February 1999.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 10 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 42% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
18 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
13.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
March is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
12.6 °C, with a minimum of
7.8 °C and a maximum of
17.5 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-1.5 °C in March 2005.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
24.5 °C. However, it reached
27.3 °C in March 2008.
Precipitation amounts to
95 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 12 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 79%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
19.1 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
12.8 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
April is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10.4 °C, with a minimum of
5.8 °C and a maximum of
15.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1 °C. However, it dropped to
-4.5 °C in April 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21.5 °C. However, it reached
25.5 °C in April 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
95 mm, distributed over 12 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 40 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 37% of the time.
The average humidity is 81%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
14.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
12.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
May is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
8.3 °C, with a minimum of
4 °C and a maximum of
12.6 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-2 °C. However, it dropped to
-4.6 °C in May 2008.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
18.5 °C. However, it reached
20.9 °C in May 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
115 mm, distributed over 15 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 20 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 30% of the time.
The average humidity is 82%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
17.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
11.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
June is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
6 °C, with a minimum of
2 °C and a maximum of
10.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-6.3 °C in June 1995.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
15 °C. However, it reached
18.4 °C in June 2016.
Precipitation amounts to
105 mm, distributed over 16 days.
The day lasts on average 8 hours and 35 minutes. June 21, the winter solstice, is the shortest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are on average 2.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 31% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
15 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10.6 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
July, the coldest month of the year, is generally a quite cold month. The average temperature is of
5.4 °C, with a minimum of
1.2 °C and a maximum of
9.7 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-5 °C. However, it dropped to
-9 °C in July 1996.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
14.5 °C. However, it reached
16.7 °C in July 2013.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 14 days.
The day lasts on average 9 hours and 0 minutes.
There are on average 3 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 35% of the time.
The average humidity is 84%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
13.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10.2 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
August is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
6.6 °C, with a minimum of
2.2 °C and a maximum of
11.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-3 °C. However, it dropped to
-5.7 °C in August 2016.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
16.5 °C. However, it reached
18.9 °C in August 2014.
Precipitation amounts to
75 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 10 hours and 10 minutes.
There are on average 4 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 80%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
17.4 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
September is generally a quite mild month. The average temperature is of
8.5 °C, with a minimum of
3.9 °C and a maximum of
13.1 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
-1.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-3.3 °C in September 1993.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
19 °C. However, it reached
23.1 °C in September 2006.
Precipitation amounts to
85 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 11 hours and 50 minutes.
There are on average 4.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 78%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
16.3 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10.1 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
October is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
10 °C, with a minimum of
5.5 °C and a maximum of
14.4 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
0 °C. However, it dropped to
-3.1 °C in October 1994.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
21.5 °C. However, it reached
25.4 °C in October 2017.
Precipitation amounts to
95 mm, distributed over 14 days.
The day lasts on average 13 hours and 25 minutes.
There are on average 5.5 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 42% of the time.
The average humidity is 76%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
20.2 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10.3 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
November is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
11.3 °C, with a minimum of
6.8 °C and a maximum of
15.8 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
1 °C. However, it dropped to
-2 °C in November 1998.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
23.5 °C. However, it reached
26.3 °C in November 2009.
Precipitation amounts to
90 mm, distributed over 13 days.
The day lasts on average 14 hours and 55 minutes. So the days are long.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 41% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
19.9 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
10.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.
December is generally a mild month. The average temperature is of
13.2 °C, with a minimum of
8.4 °C and a maximum of
17.9 °C.
On the coldest nights of the month, the temperature usually drops to around
2.5 °C. However, it dropped to
-0.4 °C in December 2010.
On the warmest days of the month, the temperature usually reaches around
26 °C. However, it reached
30.2 °C in December 2019.
Precipitation amounts to
105 mm, distributed over 14 days.
The day lasts on average 15 hours and 40 minutes. So the days are long. December 21, the summer solstice, is the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere.
There are on average 6 hours of sunshine per day. So, the sun shines 39% of the time.
The average humidity is 75%. Hence, the air is normally humid.
The average wind speed is of
18.7 kph.
The average sea temperature is of
11.9 °C. Therefore, the sea is very cold for swimming.