Climate in Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson, New Zealand has a oceanic climate. The annual average temperature is about 16.6°C, with around 731 hours of sunshine; the national rainfall baseline is roughly 1100 mm across 184 rainy days a year. The warmest month is Jan (highs near 24.7°C) and the coldest is Jul (lows near 8.4°C). These are deterministic planning estimates, not a forecast or measured station data. Temperature and sunshine follow the city's latitude; rainfall and the climate zone come from a country-level baseline that every city in the country shares (refined by region in the United States, Canada and Australia), so they do not show local differences. Check current conditions with an official meteorological service before travel.

Data year 2025; last updated 2026-05-16.

Nelson is classified as Oceanic. The classification combines the city’s own temperature range, which follows its latitude, with a rainfall pattern taken at country level for New Zealand — so cities in the same country usually share a zone.

The rainfall baseline for New Zealand is about 1100 mm a year over roughly 184 rainy days, with the wettest month Jun and the driest Dec. This figure is not specific to Nelson: every city in New Zealand carries the same baseline, so it will not show the difference between, say, a dry inland city and a wet coastal one. Use an official meteorological service for local rainfall.

Nelson sees an estimated 731 hours of sunshine a year, concentrated in the warmer months around Jan.

By temperature and rainfall, the most comfortable months in Nelson are Dec, Nov, Jan. Conditions vary year to year — verify with a current forecast before booking.

Nelson has a climate comfort score of 79/100, a very comfortable year-round climate by this measure. The score weights mild temperatures most, then rainfall balance, sunshine, low seasonality, and the absence of extreme winter cold or summer heat.