Franz Josef weather in August

New Zealand

Franz Josef, New Zealand
Photo: Tim O'Farrell · Pexels

August in Franz Josef: cold, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 17 rainy days.

#9 of 12 months in Franz Josef · #1002 of 1383 destinations to visit in August · comfort 64/100 (tier C)

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Traveller notes on Franz Josef in August

Other months in Franz Josef

Franz Josef's forum is candid that January's warm, long days come with the West Coast's notoriously dramatic weather — brilliant sunshine one minute, monsoon-style downpours the next. Regulars actually rate winter (July/August) as more settled for clear, flyable glacier days, even though January is warmer and busier.
Tripadvisor community · January · 2 days ago · Read more on Tripadvisor

Add your own note from Franz Josef's card on the map.

Franz Josef climate normals — August

Daytime high10°C / 50°F🧥 cold
Nighttime low4°C / 40°F
Feels like (high)8°C / 46°F
Sea temperature11°C / 53°F🥶 cold sea
Rainfall304 mm / 12 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days17 days
Humidity84%💦 very humid
Dew point4°C / 40°F
Sunshine7.1 h/day
Daylight10.4 h
Wind16 km/h / 10 mph
Snowfall10.4 cm / 4.1 in
Air quality (US AQI)29🍃 good

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Franz Josef in August

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.

Shoulder seasonschool holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Franz Josef'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 weatherFranz Josef's weather doesn't swing hard through the year — comfort stays fairly steady in every month.

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What's on in Franz Josef in August

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Hazard

    Highway closures in heavy rain

    1 Jan – 31 DecFlood seasonClosures

    There is one road in and one road out, and a big West Coast rain event closes it north or south of the village a few times a year. Check the highway before you commit to a night here. Source ↗

  • Season

    Quiet winter months

    15 May – 31 AugOff-season shutdown

    Half the beds in the village sit empty between May and August, and a cold settled high over the coast gives the clearest flying mornings of the year. The catch is how few of them there are.

What's on around the world in August

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Franz Josef — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Franz Josef?

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Franz Josef in August — FAQ

Is August a good time to visit Franz Josef?
August in Franz Josef: cold, soaked, with clean air — a gamble, with 17 rainy days. It ranks #9 of 12 months for Franz Josef on SeasonMap's comfort score (64/100).
What is the weather like in Franz Josef in August?
In August, Franz Josef averages a daily high of 10°C and a low of 4.3°C, with about 304.1 mm of rain over roughly 16.6 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Franz Josef in August?
Franz Josef has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 29 in August.
Does it snow in Franz Josef in August?
Franz Josef sees roughly 10.4 cm of snowfall in August.

Other months in Franz Josef

Compare Franz Josef in August

Warmer or cooler than Franz Josef in August

Similar destinations in OceaniaAugust

Within 300 km: Aoraki Mount Cook's Milky Way season around 15 Apr – 15 Sep, and Lake Tekapo's Milky Way season around 15 Apr – 15 Sep.