SeasonMapAoraki Mount Cook (Mount Cook) weather in December
New Zealand
December in Aoraki Mount Cook: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days.
#4 of 12 months in Aoraki Mount Cook · #532 of 1383 destinations to visit in December · comfort 77/100 (tier B)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Aoraki Mount Cook in December
Other months in Aoraki Mount Cook
Aoraki Mount Cook's forum notes the village can get surprisingly warm for its alpine setting, with 25°C counted as a genuinely hot January day. Regulars flag the South Island's weather as changeable enough that cold snaps remain possible even midsummer, and recommend timing hikes like the Hooker Valley around the strongest sun, with real sun protection given the exposure at altitude.
Add your own note from Aoraki Mount Cook's card on the map.
Aoraki Mount Cook climate normals — December
| Daytime high | 16°C / 61°F | 😎 nice |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 9°C / 47°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 17°C / 63°F | |
| Rainfall | 305 mm / 12 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 20 days | |
| Humidity | 84% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 10°C / 49°F | |
| Sunshine | 11.5 h/day | |
| Daylight | 15.4 h | |
| Wind | 10 km/h / 6 mph | |
| Snowfall | 6.5 cm / 2.6 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 21 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Aoraki Mount Cook in December
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Peak crowdsNew Zealand summer holidays, Summer holidays in New Zealand, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Aoraki Mount Cook's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherAoraki Mount Cook's weather peaks January–March, best around February.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Aoraki Mount Cook in December
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Season
Alpine hut booking season
9 Nov – 27 AprTrail seasonBook earlyMueller Hut takes bookings for a serviced summer season from early November to late April. Outside it the route is a mountaineering trip that happens to end at a bunk. Source ↗
- Season
Alpine climbing season
15 Nov – 28 Feb · usuallyTrail seasonBook earlyThe main window for the big ascents runs from mid-November to the end of February, once the snow has settled. Parties fly in to Plateau Hut and the weather still decides everything.
- Holiday
New Zealand summer holidays
20 Dec – 31 Jan · usuallySchool holidaysCrowdedBook earlyThe country takes January off and the village has only a few hundred beds. The Hooker Valley car park fills through the morning and the campground turns people away. Source ↗
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Aoraki Mount Cook — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Aoraki Mount Cook?
Aoraki Mount Cook in December — FAQ
- Is December a good time to visit Aoraki Mount Cook?
- December in Aoraki Mount Cook: nice, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 20 rainy days. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Aoraki Mount Cook on SeasonMap's comfort score (77/100).
- What is the weather like in Aoraki Mount Cook in December?
- In December, Aoraki Mount Cook averages a daily high of 16.3°C and a low of 8.5°C, with about 305.4 mm of rain over roughly 19.6 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Aoraki Mount Cook in December?
- Aoraki Mount Cook has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 21 in December.
- Does it snow in Aoraki Mount Cook in December?
- Aoraki Mount Cook sees roughly 6.5 cm of snowfall in December.
Other months in Aoraki Mount Cook
Compare Aoraki Mount Cook in December
Warmer or cooler than Aoraki Mount Cook in December
Similar destinations in Oceania — December
Within 300 km: Lake Tekapo's Lupins along the lake around 15 Nov – 10 Jan, and Queenstown's Lupins along the roads around 15 Nov – 5 Jan.