Queenstown's four seasons: the numbers, what is open, what to pack
Southern hemisphere, so the seasons run the other way. NIWA's thirty-year highs and lows for every month, grouped by season, with what each one opens and closes and what belongs in the bag.
Published 9 September 2026 · Last checked 16 September 2026 · Corrected 19 September 2026 · By Queenstown Pocket
In short: Summer (December to February) is 20 to 22 C by day and about 10 C at night, the sunniest and busiest time. Winter (June to August) is 8 to 10 C by day, below zero at night, ski season, and busy again in the July school holidays. Autumn and spring are the shoulders: March is the pick for warm, dry and quiet; May and June are the coldest, wettest and darkest.
The year in one table
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 22.0 C | 9.9 C | 15.9 C | 72 mm | 237 h |
| February | 21.8 C | 9.5 C | 15.6 C | 51 mm | 209 h |
| March | 19.1 C | 7.3 C | 13.2 C | 49 mm | 180 h |
| April | 15.2 C | 4.5 C | 9.8 C | 58 mm | 136 h |
| May | 11.9 C | 2.3 C | 7.1 C | 75 mm | 84 h |
| June | 8.6 C | -0.4 C | 4.1 C | 62 mm | 69 h |
| July | 8.2 C | -1.4 C | 3.4 C | 56 mm | 85 h |
| August | 10.2 C | 0.2 C | 5.2 C | 53 mm | 120 h |
| September | 13.0 C | 2.4 C | 7.7 C | 62 mm | 151 h |
| October | 15.4 C | 4.4 C | 9.9 C | 62 mm | 197 h |
| November | 17.5 C | 6.2 C | 11.9 C | 61 mm | 218 h |
| December | 20.2 C | 8.5 C | 14.3 C | 60 mm | 213 h |
High and low are the mean daily maximum and minimum for the month; mean is the monthly air temperature; rain is the monthly total and sun the monthly sunshine hours, all from NIWA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the Queenstown station. The station is at lake level (about 310 m). Take off roughly 6 to 7 C for the ski fields at 1,600 m before wind chill.
Summer: December to February
Daily highs of 20 to 22 C, nights near 9 or 10 C, and the most sunshine of the year. February is the most settled month on the normals, second only to March for rain. The lake is swimmable, every summit track is clear of snow, and the Christmas to New Year fortnight is the busiest of the year.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 20.2 C | 8.5 C | 60 mm | 213 h |
| January | 22.0 C | 9.9 C | 72 mm | 237 h |
| February | 21.8 C | 9.5 C | 51 mm | 209 h |
What is open
- Every walk and ride, including Ben Lomond and the Routeburn day walk (the Great Walks season runs 1 November to 30 April).
- Milford Sound coaches, the Glenorchy shuttles and the lake cruises at full frequency.
- The ski fields are closed; Coronet Peak and the gondola run summer mountain biking and sightseeing.
- Summer overflow parking from 20 December (Kiwi Birdlife Park and Stanley Street), per QLDC.
What to pack
- Sunscreen and a hat: New Zealand's summer UV is severe and the shade is thin on the tracks.
- A warm layer for the evening; the lakefront drops below 10 C most nights even in January.
- Swimwear for Frankton Beach, Sunshine Bay and the Gardens foreshore.
- Two litres of water per person for Ben Lomond; there is none on the track above the gondola.
What it costs
Peak prices for beds and rental cars; book the Milford and Glenorchy days weeks ahead. Council parking is $7 an hour in the centre and free only after 6pm, so the $2.50 bus is the saving.
Autumn: March to May
March is still warm (19 C highs) with the driest figure on the normals and the crowds gone after the first week. April brings the colour and 15 C days; May is the quietest and wettest month, with the first snow on the tops and 84 sunshine hours.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March | 19.1 C | 7.3 C | 49 mm | 180 h |
| April | 15.2 C | 4.5 C | 58 mm | 136 h |
| May | 11.9 C | 2.3 C | 75 mm | 84 h |
What is open
- All tracks through March and April; the high routes get their first snow in May.
- Great Walks season closes at the end of April; Routeburn huts drop to off-season rules and fees.
- Arrowtown Autumn Festival in late April.
- Ski fields closed until mid June; early-bird season passes are on sale.
What to pack
- Layers: a March afternoon can be 20 C and the same night 5 C.
- A waterproof shell by May, when the normals turn wet and the sunshine halves.
- Warm gloves and a beanie for the summits from April.
What it costs
Shoulder season. Beds and cars are cheapest from mid April to late May; operators trim frequencies after Easter.
Winter: June to August
Highs of 8 to 10 C, lows below zero, and July the coldest month at a mean of 3.4 C. June has the least sunshine of the year (69 hours); August has the best snow on average. The ski fields open mid to late June and the July school holidays fill the town.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 8.6 C | -0.4 C | 62 mm | 69 h |
| July | 8.2 C | -1.4 C | 56 mm | 85 h |
| August | 10.2 C | 0.2 C | 53 mm | 120 h |
What is open
- Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Cardrona and Treble Cone, on the operators' published dates.
- The Queenstown Winter Festival and the ski-town nightlife; the gondola, luge, jet boats and bungy run all winter.
- Lake-level walks (Queenstown Hill, Frankton Track, Lake Hayes) stay open; Ben Lomond above the saddle is an alpine route in winter.
- Routeburn and Milford Tracks are off-season: bridges out, avalanche paths live, experienced parties only.
What to pack
- Thermals, a down or fleece mid-layer and a windproof shell; the wind chill on the fields is the number that matters.
- Chains if you drive to a ski field, and the practice of fitting them: police turn cars around at the checkpoint.
- Sunglasses and sunscreen for the snow; the glare is worse than the summer sun.
- Shoes with grip for the frosty footpaths in town before 10am.
What it costs
Peak again for the ski weeks (school holidays in July) and cheaper between them. The ski bus is $36 return with NZSki; Orbus does not go up the mountains.
Spring: September to November
The fastest-changing season: 13 C highs in September climbing to 17.5 C by November, with the sunshine hours nearly doubling. Spring skiing and spring lift prices in September, the fields closing early to mid October, the trails reopening, and the Marathon weekend in mid November.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 13.0 C | 2.4 C | 62 mm | 151 h |
| October | 15.4 C | 4.4 C | 62 mm | 197 h |
| November | 17.5 C | 6.2 C | 61 mm | 218 h |
What is open
- Spring skiing through September into early October; the fields close on their published dates.
- The Great Walks season opens on 1 November, which puts the Routeburn day walks back in season; until then the track is off season with avalanche-prone bridges removed.
- Summit tracks clear of snow by November in most years; check the DOC alerts for late falls.
- Queenstown Marathon on the third Saturday of November (14 November 2026) with road closures on the day.
What to pack
- A waterproof jacket every day; spring brings the changeable norwesters.
- Layers for four seasons in a day, which is not a saying here so much as the forecast.
- Ski gear in September, walking shoes in November, and both in October.
What it costs
Shoulder prices in September and October once the ski weeks are done; November firms up toward Christmas, and the Marathon weekend sells the town out.
Daylight
The longest day, on the December solstice, is about 15 hours 40 minutes; the shortest, on the June solstice, about 8 hours 49 minutes. New Zealand daylight saving runs from the last Sunday in September to the first Sunday in April, so summer evenings stay light past 9.30pm and a June afternoon is dark a little after 5pm. Plan winter walks to finish by 4pm and carry a head torch on anything longer.
Month by month
Each month has its own guide with the dates, the events and what is open:
- January
22.0 C / 9.9 C
- February
21.8 C / 9.5 C
- March
19.1 C / 7.3 C
- April
15.2 C / 4.5 C
- May
11.9 C / 2.3 C
- June
8.6 C / -0.4 C
- July
8.2 C / -1.4 C
- August
10.2 C / 0.2 C
- September
13.0 C / 2.4 C
- October
15.4 C / 4.4 C
- November
17.5 C / 6.2 C
- December
20.2 C / 8.5 C
Questions people ask
What are the seasons in Queenstown?
Queenstown is in the southern hemisphere, so summer is December to February, autumn March to May, winter June to August and spring September to November. On NIWA's 1991 to 2020 normals January is the warmest month (mean 15.9 C, daily highs of 22 C) and July the coldest (mean 3.4 C, daily lows of minus 1.4 C).
How cold does Queenstown get in winter?
Daily minimums average minus 0.4 C in June, minus 1.4 C in July and 0.2 C in August, with daily highs of 8 to 10 C. Individual nights go well below that, and the ski fields at 1,600 m are colder again with wind chill. Town footpaths are frosty most winter mornings.
How hot is Queenstown in summer?
Daily maximums average 22.0 C in January, 21.8 C in February and 20.2 C in December, with nights around 9 to 10 C. Hot days reach the high 20s and occasionally 30 C; the lake stays cold because it is glacier-fed.
What is the wettest month in Queenstown?
May, at 75 mm on the normals, followed by January at 72 mm. The driest are March (49 mm) and February (51 mm). Queenstown is on the dry side of the Southern Alps; Milford Sound, 288 km away, gets about ten times the rain.
How much daylight does Queenstown get?
About 15 hours 40 minutes on the December solstice and 8 hours 49 minutes on the June solstice, a difference of nearly seven hours. Summer evenings stay light until after 9.30pm with daylight saving; in June it is dark by a little after 5pm.
Which season is cheapest in Queenstown?
Mid April to late May and September to October, outside the ski weeks, are the shoulder seasons for beds and rental cars. Christmas to New Year and the July school holidays are the two peaks. Bus fares ($2.50 with a Bee Card) and council parking rates do not change with the season.
Get the Thursday email
One expensive Queenstown decision a week, settled with dated prices and the free alternative, plus three things the week favours. Free. It also carries the one launch email, so you are on the app waitlist too.
One email every Thursday at 6am: one Queenstown decision settled with numbers, and three things the week favours. Plus one email when the app launches. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy
Related guides
- Queenstown's four ski fields compared: dates, passes, buses
Season dates, day pass prices, ski bus fares and drive times for all four fields, side by side.
- Best time to visit Queenstown: the weather, month by month
NIWA's monthly temperature, rain and sunshine figures, and what each season is actually like.
- Queenstown when it rains: what is actually worth doing
Museum, Kiwi Park, hot pools, cinema, and the walks that suit the rain, each with its bus.
- How far is it from Queenstown? Drive times and the bus beside every one
Fourteen places, the road distance and time, and the bus, coach or honest 'no bus' beside every one.
Sources: NIWA, mean daily maximum air temperature 1991 to 2020 (XLSX) (opens in a new tab), NIWA, mean daily minimum air temperature 1991 to 2020 (XLSX) (opens in a new tab), NIWA, mean monthly temperatures, rainfall and sunshine hours 1991 to 2020 (opens in a new tab) and timeanddate.com, Queenstown sunrise and sunset (solstice day lengths) (opens in a new tab), retrieved 9 September 2026. Climate figures are NIWA's thirty-year normals (CC BY 4.0), not a forecast; season dates are the operators' published 2026 dates and move with the snow. This independent guide is published by Tally Sphere Limited, a New Zealand company. Spotted a change? Report a problem with this page and the page address comes with your email.