SeasonMapNew Zealand in August
August is New Zealand's 9th-best month (rank 9 of 12): its 17 destinations average 68/100, led by Rotorua at 79 — 10°C and 13 rainy days — while Aoraki Mount Cook is cooler at 3°C and scores 61.
#9 of 12 months for New Zealand · 17 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Where in New Zealand in August
| # | Place | Type | Feels-like high | Rain | Comfort | At its best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rotorua | Trekking hub | 10°C | 100 mm · 13 days | 79 tier B | — |
| 2 | Auckland | City | 12°C | 100 mm · 13 days | 73 tier B | — |
| 3 | Napier | City | 13°C | 64 mm · 11 days | 73 tier B | — |
| 4 | Te Anau | National park | 6°C | 119 mm · 16 days | 72 tier B | — |
| 5 | Christchurch | City | 10°C | 43 mm · 9 days | 71 tier B | — |
| 6 | Dunedin | City | 8°C | 34 mm · 10 days | 71 tier B | — |
| 7 | Wellington | City | 10°C | 87 mm · 13 days | 71 tier B | — |
| 8 | Lake Tekapo | Trekking hub | 3°C | 82 mm · 10 days | 70 tier B | — |
| 9 | Nelson | City | 12°C | 125 mm · 11 days | 67 tier C | — |
| 10 | Kaikōura | Beach | 10°C | 68 mm · 11 days | 66 tier C | — |
| 11 | Paihia | Beach | 12°C | 89 mm · 11 days | 65 tier C | — |
| 12 | Franz Josef | Trekking hub | 8°C | 304 mm · 17 days | 64 tier C | — |
| 13 | Queenstown | Ski resort | 8°C | 87 mm · 12 days | 64 tier C | Yes |
| 14 | Tongariro | National park | 4°C | 174 mm · 17 days | 64 tier C | — |
| 15 | Taupo | City | 9°C | 118 mm · 13 days | 63 tier C | — |
| 16 | Wānaka | Ski resort | 5°C | 75 mm · 12 days | 62 tier C | Yes |
| 17 | Aoraki Mount Cook | National park | 3°C | 227 mm · 16 days | 61 tier C | — |
Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means August is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.
What's on in New Zealand in August
- Wellington On a Plate · Wellington · 1–31 Aug
- Milky Way season · Lake Tekapo and 1 more place · 15 Apr – 15 Sep (usually)
- Sperm whales, all year · Kaikōura · 1 Jan – 31 Dec
- Seal pups in the streams · Kaikōura · 1 Apr – 30 Sep (usually)
- Albatross season · Kaikōura · 1 Apr – 30 Sep (usually)
- Royal albatross chick season · Dunedin · 20 Jan – 15 Sep (usually)
Seasons in force
Peak crowds at 1 of New Zealand's 12 well-known places this month.