New Zealand in February

February is one of New Zealand's best months (rank 2 of 12): its 18 destinations average 79/100, led by Christchurch at 93 — 23°C and 6 rainy days — while Te Anau is cooler at 17°C and scores 86.

#2 of 12 months for New Zealand · 18 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

🇳🇿 New Zealand, month by month

79/100 in February

Where in New Zealand in February

#	Place	Type	Feels-like high	Rain	Comfort	At its best
1	Christchurch	City	23°C	48 mm · 6 days	93 tier S	Yes
2	Lake Tekapo	Trekking hub	18°C	96 mm · 9 days	91 tier S	Yes
3	Napier	City	26°C	91 mm · 9 days	90 tier S	Yes
4	Nelson	City	24°C	105 mm · 8 days	90 tier S	Yes
5	Taupo	City	24°C	108 mm · 11 days	89 tier A	Yes
6	Tongariro	National park	18°C	123 mm · 13 days	89 tier A	Yes
7	Wellington	City	21°C	73 mm · 7 days	89 tier A	Yes
8	Dunedin	City	19°C	74 mm · 9 days	88 tier A	Yes
9	Auckland	City	25°C	92 mm · 9 days	87 tier A	—
10	Paihia	Beach	24°C	80 mm · 9 days	87 tier A	Yes
11	Te Anau	National park	17°C	144 mm · 13 days	86 tier A	Yes
12	Aoraki Mount Cook	National park	19°C	257 mm · 13 days	84 tier A	Yes
13	Raglan	Beach	23°C	106 mm · 8 days	84 tier A	Yes
14	Rotorua	Trekking hub	24°C	110 mm · 10 days	84 tier A	—
15	Kaikōura	Beach	23°C	93 mm · 9 days	82 tier A	Yes
16	Franz Josef	Trekking hub	19°C	352 mm · 13 days	78 tier B	Yes
17	Queenstown	Ski resort	23°C	107 mm · 10 days	19 tier F	—
18	Wānaka	Ski resort	20°C	98 mm · 10 days	18 tier F	—

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 February 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 February

Bread & Circus buskers festival · Christchurch · 20 Jan – 3 Feb (usually)
New Zealand summer holidays · Christchurch and 7 more places · 19 Dec – 1 Feb (usually)
Waiheke grape harvest · Auckland · 15 Feb – 10 Apr (usually)
Waitangi Day · Paihia · 3–7 Feb
Tarawera Ultra-Trail · Rotorua · 8–20 Feb (usually)
Sperm whales, all year · Kaikōura · 1 Jan – 31 Dec
Summer peak in the village · Franz Josef · 20 Dec – 5 Feb (usually)
Art Deco Festival · Napier · 12–25 Feb (usually)

Seasons in force

Trail season · 5 places Harvest · 3 places Insects & disease · 2 places Cyclone season · 1 place Flood season · 1 place Rip currents & big surf · 1 place Sea warm enough · 1 place Volcanic activity · 1 place

Peak crowds at 5 of New Zealand's 12 well-known places this month.

Better months for New Zealand

January · 79/100 March · 78/100 December · 76/100 Weakest: July · 63/100

← New Zealand in January New Zealand in March →Best time to visit New Zealand, month by month Compare: Christchurch vs Lake Tekapo in February