Best time to visit Palmerston North
New Zealand · 20-year averages
January is the best month in Palmerston North, scoring 83 out of 100, with July the weakest at 45. The 38-point spread means timing is worth planning around without being decisive. 5 of the twelve months sit within ten points of the best, so there is more than one right answer.
February is the warmest month at 23.8 °C and July the coolest at 11.8 °C — a 12 °C spread across the year.
There is a real wet season here. May, June, July, August and October carry the rain — up to 16 wet days in a month — while January to April drop as low as 9. That 7-day gap is the biggest single difference between a good month and a bad one in Palmerston North, and it moves further than the temperature does.
Daylight runs from 9.3 hours in winter to 15 in summer, enough to notice on a sightseeing itinerary.
The three strongest months are January, February, March. The one to think twice about is July. Each month below has its own page with rainfall reliability, extremes, daylight and crowd levels.
Palmerston North month by month
| Month | High °C | Low °C | Rain days | Daylight h | Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 23.3 | 13.5 | 10 | 14.7 | 83 | Prime time |
| February | 23.8 | 13.8 | 9 | 13.7 | 83 | Prime time |
| March | 21.9 | 12.5 | 10 | 12.4 | 81 | Prime time |
| April | 18.6 | 10.3 | 11 | 11.1 | 74 | A good month |
| May | 15.5 | 8.8 | 15 | 9.9 | 59 | Shoulder season |
| June | 12.9 | 7 | 15 | 9.3 | 49 | A hard month |
| July | 11.8 | 6.1 | 16 | 9.5 | 45 | A hard month |
| August | 12.8 | 6.4 | 16 | 10.5 | 49 | A hard month |
| September | 14.4 | 7.4 | 14 | 11.8 | 57 | Shoulder season |
| October | 15.9 | 8.5 | 15 | 13.1 | 60 | Shoulder season |
| November | 18.1 | 9.9 | 12 | 14.3 | 72 | A good month |
| December | 20.9 | 12.2 | 14 | 15 | 75 | A good month |
Planning the rest of the trip
- Where to eat & stay in Palmerston North every café, restaurant and hotel
- Flight time to Palmerston North how long you are actually in the air
- Palmerston North time zone and the difference from home
- Days until your trip count down to the departure date
- Gyms & clubs in Palmerston North keep training while you are there