Christchurch weather in January
In January, Christchurch sees average daytime highs of 19°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 49 mm of rain across 8.1 wet days and about 14.9 hours of daylight. It is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 15 h 12 min at the start of January to 14 h 24 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Christchurch's 10th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Christchurch's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 19°
- 2nd warmest
- Overnight low
- 14°
- 11th coldest
- Rainfall
- 49 mm
- 8.1 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 h 54 min
- 6:12 AM – 9:06 PM
- Cloud cover
- 59%
- 10th clearest
- Wind
- 17 km/h
- 2nd windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.97 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 6.3
- out of 10
Christchurch is largest city in the South Island of New Zealand.
- Air quality
- Moderate
- PM2.5 10.2 µg/m³ · 2012
- Density
- 1,420/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1848
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in January
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 19°C through the month.
A typical January day in Christchurch reaches about 19°C in the afternoon and slips back to 14°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 1°C warmer than December and on par with February.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
| Avg low (°C) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | 13 |
| 2 | 18 | 13 |
| 3 | 18 | 13 |
| 4 | 18 | 13 |
| 5 | 18 | 13 |
| 6 | 18 | 13 |
| 7 | 18 | 13 |
| 8 | 19 | 13 |
| 9 | 19 | 13 |
| 10 | 19 | 14 |
| 11 | 19 | 14 |
| 12 | 19 | 14 |
| 13 | 19 | 14 |
| 14 | 19 | 14 |
| 15 | 19 | 14 |
| 16 | 19 | 14 |
| 17 | 19 | 14 |
| 18 | 19 | 14 |
| 19 | 19 | 14 |
| 20 | 19 | 14 |
| 21 | 19 | 14 |
| 22 | 19 | 14 |
| 23 | 19 | 14 |
| 24 | 19 | 14 |
| 25 | 19 | 14 |
| 26 | 19 | 14 |
| 27 | 19 | 14 |
| 28 | 19 | 14 |
| 29 | 19 | 14 |
| 30 | 19 | 14 |
| 31 | 19 | 14 |
Christchurch weather by month
How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 2nd-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19° / 14° | 49 | 8.1 | 14.9 | 6.3 |
| Feb | 19° / 14° | 39 | 6.6 | 13.8 | 6.5 |
| Mar | 17° / 13° | 45 | 6.8 | 12.4 | 6.1 |
| Apr | 15° / 10° | 52 | 8.8 | 10.8 | 4.8 |
| May | 13° / 8° | 48 | 8.2 | 9.5 | 3.8 |
| Jun | 11° / 6° | 58 | 8.9 | 8.8 | 2.6 |
| Jul | 10° / 5° | 52 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 2.2 |
| Aug | 10° / 6° | 48 | 8.8 | 10.2 | 2.5 |
| Sep | 12° / 7° | 43 | 8.1 | 11.7 | 3.3 |
| Oct | 14° / 9° | 48 | 9.4 | 13.2 | 4.1 |
| Nov | 16° / 10° | 49 | 9 | 14.5 | 4.9 |
| Dec | 17° / 12° | 53 | 9.4 | 15.2 | 5.6 |
Cloud cover in January
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in January.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 53%.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 49 |
| Cloudier (%) | 53 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 52 | 51 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 47 | 53 |
| 2 | 46 | 54 |
| 3 | 46 | 54 |
| 4 | 46 | 54 |
| 5 | 47 | 53 |
| 6 | 46 | 54 |
| 7 | 46 | 54 |
| 8 | 46 | 54 |
| 9 | 45 | 55 |
| 10 | 46 | 54 |
| 11 | 46 | 54 |
| 12 | 46 | 54 |
| 13 | 46 | 54 |
| 14 | 46 | 54 |
| 15 | 47 | 53 |
| 16 | 47 | 53 |
| 17 | 47 | 53 |
| 18 | 47 | 53 |
| 19 | 47 | 53 |
| 20 | 47 | 53 |
| 21 | 47 | 53 |
| 22 | 48 | 52 |
| 23 | 48 | 52 |
| 24 | 48 | 52 |
| 25 | 48 | 52 |
| 26 | 48 | 52 |
| 27 | 47 | 53 |
| 28 | 48 | 52 |
| 29 | 48 | 52 |
| 30 | 48 | 52 |
| 31 | 49 | 51 |
Chance of precipitation in January
Christchurch gets around 49 mm of rain over 8.1 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 27% and peaks near 30% on the wettest days. The odds ease toward the end of the month.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 29 |
| 2 | 29 |
| 3 | 29 |
| 4 | 30 |
| 5 | 30 |
| 6 | 30 |
| 7 | 30 |
| 8 | 30 |
| 9 | 30 |
| 10 | 30 |
| 11 | 30 |
| 12 | 29 |
| 13 | 29 |
| 14 | 28 |
| 15 | 28 |
| 16 | 27 |
| 17 | 27 |
| 18 | 26 |
| 19 | 26 |
| 20 | 25 |
| 21 | 25 |
| 22 | 24 |
| 23 | 24 |
| 24 | 23 |
| 25 | 23 |
| 26 | 23 |
| 27 | 23 |
| 28 | 23 |
| 29 | 22 |
| 30 | 22 |
| 31 | 22 |
Humidity in January
Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 71% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 71 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 66 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 | 63 |
| Comfortable (%) | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Humid (%) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 79 | 20 | 1 |
| 2 | 78 | 21 | 1 |
| 3 | 78 | 21 | 1 |
| 4 | 77 | 22 | 1 |
| 5 | 77 | 22 | 1 |
| 6 | 77 | 22 | 1 |
| 7 | 75 | 23 | 2 |
| 8 | 75 | 23 | 2 |
| 9 | 75 | 23 | 2 |
| 10 | 75 | 23 | 2 |
| 11 | 75 | 23 | 2 |
| 12 | 74 | 24 | 2 |
| 13 | 73 | 24 | 3 |
| 14 | 72 | 25 | 3 |
| 15 | 72 | 25 | 3 |
| 16 | 71 | 26 | 3 |
| 17 | 71 | 26 | 3 |
| 18 | 69 | 27 | 4 |
| 19 | 69 | 27 | 4 |
| 20 | 68 | 28 | 4 |
| 21 | 67 | 28 | 5 |
| 22 | 66 | 29 | 5 |
| 23 | 65 | 29 | 6 |
| 24 | 65 | 29 | 6 |
| 25 | 64 | 30 | 6 |
| 26 | 63 | 30 | 7 |
| 27 | 63 | 30 | 7 |
| 28 | 63 | 30 | 7 |
| 29 | 63 | 29 | 8 |
| 30 | 63 | 29 | 8 |
| 31 | 63 | 29 | 8 |
Wind in January
Winds average 17 km/h in January.
Across January, daily wind ranges from about 16 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | light breeze |
| 2 | 17 | light breeze |
| 3 | 17 | light breeze |
| 4 | 17 | light breeze |
| 5 | 17 | light breeze |
| 6 | 17 | light breeze |
| 7 | 17 | light breeze |
| 8 | 17 | light breeze |
| 9 | 17 | light breeze |
| 10 | 17 | light breeze |
| 11 | 17 | light breeze |
| 12 | 17 | light breeze |
| 13 | 17 | light breeze |
| 14 | 17 | light breeze |
| 15 | 17 | light breeze |
| 16 | 17 | light breeze |
| 17 | 17 | light breeze |
| 18 | 17 | light breeze |
| 19 | 17 | light breeze |
| 20 | 17 | light breeze |
| 21 | 17 | light breeze |
| 22 | 17 | light breeze |
| 23 | 17 | light breeze |
| 24 | 16 | light breeze |
| 25 | 16 | light breeze |
| 26 | 16 | light breeze |
| 27 | 16 | light breeze |
| 28 | 16 | light breeze |
| 29 | 16 | light breeze |
| 30 | 16 | light breeze |
| 31 | 16 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in January
Daylight runs from about 15 h 12 min at the start of January to 14 h 24 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 48 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 5:57 AM to 6:30 AM, and sunset from 9:08 PM to 8:55 PM.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 15.2 | 15.2 | 15.2 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.8 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.4 | 14.4 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:57 | 5:58 | 5:59 | 6:00 | 6:00 | 6:01 | 6:02 | 6:03 | 6:04 | 6:05 | 6:06 | 6:07 | 6:08 | 6:10 | 6:11 | 6:12 | 6:13 | 6:14 | 6:15 | 6:16 | 6:18 | 6:19 | 6:20 | 6:21 | 6:23 | 6:24 | 6:25 | 6:27 | 6:28 | 6:29 | 6:30 |
| Sunset (PM) | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:08 | 9:07 | 9:07 | 9:07 | 9:07 | 9:06 | 9:06 | 9:05 | 9:05 | 9:04 | 9:04 | 9:03 | 9:02 | 9:02 | 9:01 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 8:59 | 8:58 | 8:57 | 8:56 | 8:55 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15.2 | 5:57 | 9:08 |
| 2 | 15.2 | 5:58 | 9:08 |
| 3 | 15.2 | 5:59 | 9:08 |
| 4 | 15.1 | 6:00 | 9:08 |
| 5 | 15.1 | 6:00 | 9:08 |
| 6 | 15.1 | 6:01 | 9:08 |
| 7 | 15.1 | 6:02 | 9:08 |
| 8 | 15.1 | 6:03 | 9:08 |
| 9 | 15.1 | 6:04 | 9:08 |
| 10 | 15.0 | 6:05 | 9:08 |
| 11 | 15.0 | 6:06 | 9:07 |
| 12 | 15.0 | 6:07 | 9:07 |
| 13 | 15.0 | 6:08 | 9:07 |
| 14 | 15.0 | 6:10 | 9:07 |
| 15 | 14.9 | 6:11 | 9:06 |
| 16 | 14.9 | 6:12 | 9:06 |
| 17 | 14.9 | 6:13 | 9:05 |
| 18 | 14.8 | 6:14 | 9:05 |
| 19 | 14.8 | 6:15 | 9:04 |
| 20 | 14.8 | 6:16 | 9:04 |
| 21 | 14.8 | 6:18 | 9:03 |
| 22 | 14.7 | 6:19 | 9:02 |
| 23 | 14.7 | 6:20 | 9:02 |
| 24 | 14.7 | 6:21 | 9:01 |
| 25 | 14.6 | 6:23 | 9:00 |
| 26 | 14.6 | 6:24 | 9:00 |
| 27 | 14.6 | 6:25 | 8:59 |
| 28 | 14.5 | 6:27 | 8:58 |
| 29 | 14.5 | 6:28 | 8:57 |
| 30 | 14.4 | 6:29 | 8:56 |
| 31 | 14.4 | 6:30 | 8:55 |
Solar energy in January
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 6.97 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.44 kWh/m² to a high of 6.97 kWh/m² in January across the year — January's 6.97 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 7.1 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 2 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 3 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 4 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 5 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 6 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 7 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 8 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 9 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 10 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.4 | Intense |
Is January a good time to visit Christchurch?
Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
January is a reasonable time to visit Christchurch for sightseeing.
What to pack for Christchurch in January
From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In January, Christchurch sees daytime highs around 19°C and nights near 14°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 8 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Christchurch in January
The nearest coast averages about 17°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 17°C and coldest in August near 9°C.
The water stays below 20°C all year — cool enough that most swimmers want a wetsuit.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 17 | Cool |
| Feb | 17 | Cool |
| Mar | 16 | Cool |
| Apr | 14 | Bracing |
| May | 13 | Bracing |
| Jun | 11 | Bracing |
| Jul | 10 | Bracing |
| Aug | 9 | Bracing |
| Sep | 10 | Bracing |
| Oct | 12 | Bracing |
| Nov | 14 | Bracing |
| Dec | 15 | Cool |
UV index in Christchurch in January
Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 11 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Christchurch peaks around January 15 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 1 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 11 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 3 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Low |
| Jun | 1 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Low |
| Aug | 2 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Air quality in Christchurch in January
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Christchurch is worst in February — around 17 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (May, 7 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Christchurch's WHO annual average of 10.2 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 17 | Moderate |
| Mar | 14 | Moderate |
| Apr | 8 | Good |
| May | 7 | Good |
| Jun | 7 | Good |
| Jul | 9 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 10 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Christchurch?
Christchurch sits at 43.5°S, 172.6°E, 14 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Rolleston, 21 km away.
Topography around Christchurch
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Christchurch.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Christchurch has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 26 m around an average of 10 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 547 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,955 m.
The land around Christchurch is covered by artificial surfaces (74%) within 3 km, grassland (33%) and water (22%) within 16 km, and water (43%) and grassland (34%) within 80 km.
New Zealand travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type I
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 86% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $49,591
- 2025
- Happiness
- 7.0 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 100%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.5
- per 100k, 2022
- Road deaths
- 9.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Christchurch (-43.5333°, 172.6333°, elevation 14 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).