Kaikoura weather in December
In December, Kaikoura sees average daytime highs of 17°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 65 mm of rain across 11.2 wet days and about 15 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 17°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 14 h 54 min at the start of December to 15 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Kaikoura's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kaikoura's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 17°
- 4th warmest
- Overnight low
- 13°
- 9th coldest
- Rainfall
- 65 mm
- 11.2 wet days
- Daylight
- 15 h 06 min
- 5:49 AM – 8:54 PM
- Cloud cover
- 60%
- 12th clearest
- Wind
- 14 km/h
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.92 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.2
- out of 10
Kaikoura is town in New Zealand.
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 17°C through the month.
A typical December day in Kaikoura reaches about 17°C in the afternoon and slips back to 13°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 20°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 1°C cooler than January.
| 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) | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Avg low (°C) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 | 12 |
| 2 | 16 | 12 |
| 3 | 16 | 12 |
| 4 | 16 | 12 |
| 5 | 16 | 12 |
| 6 | 16 | 12 |
| 7 | 16 | 12 |
| 8 | 16 | 12 |
| 9 | 16 | 12 |
| 10 | 16 | 12 |
| 11 | 16 | 12 |
| 12 | 17 | 12 |
| 13 | 17 | 13 |
| 14 | 17 | 13 |
| 15 | 17 | 13 |
| 16 | 17 | 13 |
| 17 | 17 | 13 |
| 18 | 17 | 13 |
| 19 | 17 | 13 |
| 20 | 17 | 13 |
| 21 | 17 | 13 |
| 22 | 17 | 13 |
| 23 | 17 | 13 |
| 24 | 17 | 13 |
| 25 | 17 | 13 |
| 26 | 17 | 13 |
| 27 | 17 | 13 |
| 28 | 17 | 13 |
| 29 | 17 | 13 |
| 30 | 17 | 13 |
| 31 | 17 | 13 |
Kaikoura weather by month
How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18° / 14° | 69 | 10.1 | 0 | 14.7 | 5.9 |
| Feb | 18° / 14° | 60 | 8.6 | 0 | 13.7 | 6.1 |
| Mar | 17° / 13° | 70 | 9.2 | 0 | 12.4 | 5.6 |
| Apr | 15° / 11° | 80 | 10.1 | 0 | 10.9 | 4.5 |
| May | 13° / 9° | 69 | 10.2 | 0.2 | 9.6 | 3.7 |
| Jun | 11° / 7° | 96 | 11.6 | 0.8 | 9 | 2.5 |
| Jul | 10° / 6° | 93 | 11.8 | 1.1 | 9.2 | 2.1 |
| Aug | 10° / 7° | 79 | 11.3 | 0.9 | 10.3 | 2.4 |
| Sep | 12° / 8° | 65 | 9.8 | 0.5 | 11.7 | 3.1 |
| Oct | 13° / 9° | 82 | 12.5 | 0.4 | 13.2 | 3.6 |
| Nov | 15° / 11° | 71 | 10.8 | 0 | 14.4 | 4.4 |
| Dec | 17° / 13° | 65 | 11.2 | 0 | 15 | 5.2 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 29% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 16% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 54%. Skies tend to open up as the month goes on.
| 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 (%) | 44 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 44 | 44 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 46 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 50 | 50 |
| Cloudier (%) | 56 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 55 | 54 | 54 | 53 | 52 | 52 | 51 | 50 | 49 | 50 | 50 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 44 | 56 |
| 2 | 43 | 57 |
| 3 | 43 | 57 |
| 4 | 44 | 56 |
| 5 | 43 | 57 |
| 6 | 43 | 57 |
| 7 | 44 | 56 |
| 8 | 44 | 56 |
| 9 | 44 | 56 |
| 10 | 45 | 55 |
| 11 | 45 | 55 |
| 12 | 45 | 55 |
| 13 | 44 | 56 |
| 14 | 43 | 57 |
| 15 | 43 | 57 |
| 16 | 43 | 57 |
| 17 | 44 | 56 |
| 18 | 44 | 56 |
| 19 | 45 | 55 |
| 20 | 45 | 55 |
| 21 | 45 | 55 |
| 22 | 46 | 54 |
| 23 | 46 | 54 |
| 24 | 47 | 53 |
| 25 | 48 | 52 |
| 26 | 48 | 52 |
| 27 | 49 | 51 |
| 28 | 50 | 50 |
| 29 | 51 | 49 |
| 30 | 50 | 50 |
| 31 | 50 | 50 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Kaikoura gets around 65 mm of rain over 11.2 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 36% and peaks near 37% on the wettest days.
| 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 (%) | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 36 |
| 2 | 36 |
| 3 | 36 |
| 4 | 36 |
| 5 | 36 |
| 6 | 35 |
| 7 | 35 |
| 8 | 35 |
| 9 | 35 |
| 10 | 35 |
| 11 | 36 |
| 12 | 36 |
| 13 | 36 |
| 14 | 37 |
| 15 | 37 |
| 16 | 37 |
| 17 | 37 |
| 18 | 37 |
| 19 | 37 |
| 20 | 37 |
| 21 | 37 |
| 22 | 37 |
| 23 | 37 |
| 24 | 36 |
| 25 | 36 |
| 26 | 35 |
| 27 | 35 |
| 28 | 34 |
| 29 | 34 |
| 30 | 34 |
| 31 | 34 |
Humidity in December
Most of December feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, December lands in the dry band about 77% 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 (%) | 87 | 86 | 85 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 78 | 78 | 77 | 77 | 77 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 76 | 75 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 70 | 68 |
| Comfortable (%) | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 87 | 13 | 0 |
| 2 | 86 | 14 | 0 |
| 3 | 85 | 15 | 0 |
| 4 | 84 | 16 | 0 |
| 5 | 83 | 17 | 0 |
| 6 | 82 | 18 | 0 |
| 7 | 81 | 19 | 0 |
| 8 | 80 | 20 | 0 |
| 9 | 80 | 20 | 0 |
| 10 | 79 | 21 | 0 |
| 11 | 78 | 22 | 0 |
| 12 | 78 | 22 | 0 |
| 13 | 77 | 23 | 0 |
| 14 | 77 | 23 | 0 |
| 15 | 77 | 23 | 0 |
| 16 | 76 | 24 | 0 |
| 17 | 76 | 24 | 0 |
| 18 | 76 | 24 | 0 |
| 19 | 76 | 24 | 0 |
| 20 | 75 | 24 | 1 |
| 21 | 74 | 25 | 1 |
| 22 | 74 | 25 | 1 |
| 23 | 74 | 25 | 1 |
| 24 | 74 | 25 | 1 |
| 25 | 74 | 25 | 1 |
| 26 | 73 | 25 | 2 |
| 27 | 72 | 26 | 2 |
| 28 | 72 | 26 | 2 |
| 29 | 71 | 27 | 2 |
| 30 | 70 | 28 | 2 |
| 31 | 68 | 29 | 3 |
Wind in December
Winds average 14 km/h in December.
Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 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) | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
| 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 | 15 | light breeze |
| 2 | 15 | light breeze |
| 3 | 15 | light breeze |
| 4 | 15 | light breeze |
| 5 | 14 | light breeze |
| 6 | 14 | light breeze |
| 7 | 14 | light breeze |
| 8 | 14 | light breeze |
| 9 | 14 | light breeze |
| 10 | 14 | light breeze |
| 11 | 14 | light breeze |
| 12 | 14 | light breeze |
| 13 | 14 | light breeze |
| 14 | 14 | light breeze |
| 15 | 15 | light breeze |
| 16 | 15 | light breeze |
| 17 | 15 | light breeze |
| 18 | 15 | light breeze |
| 19 | 15 | light breeze |
| 20 | 15 | light breeze |
| 21 | 15 | light breeze |
| 22 | 15 | light breeze |
| 23 | 15 | light breeze |
| 24 | 15 | light breeze |
| 25 | 15 | light breeze |
| 26 | 15 | light breeze |
| 27 | 15 | light breeze |
| 28 | 15 | light breeze |
| 29 | 15 | light breeze |
| 30 | 15 | light breeze |
| 31 | 15 | light breeze |
Sunrise & sunset in December
Daylight runs from about 14 h 54 min at the start of December to 15 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 12 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:49 AM to 5:56 AM, and sunset from 8:41 PM to 9:00 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) | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 14.9 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:49 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:48 | 5:49 | 5:49 | 5:49 | 5:50 | 5:50 | 5:50 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:52 | 5:52 | 5:53 | 5:54 | 5:54 | 5:55 | 5:56 | 5:56 |
| Sunset (PM) | 8:41 | 8:42 | 8:43 | 8:44 | 8:45 | 8:46 | 8:47 | 8:48 | 8:49 | 8:50 | 8:51 | 8:51 | 8:52 | 8:53 | 8:54 | 8:54 | 8:55 | 8:55 | 8:56 | 8:57 | 8:57 | 8:58 | 8:58 | 8:58 | 8:59 | 8:59 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 | 9:00 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.9 | 5:49 | 8:41 |
| 2 | 14.9 | 5:48 | 8:42 |
| 3 | 14.9 | 5:48 | 8:43 |
| 4 | 14.9 | 5:48 | 8:44 |
| 5 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:45 |
| 6 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:46 |
| 7 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:47 |
| 8 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:48 |
| 9 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:49 |
| 10 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:50 |
| 11 | 15.0 | 5:48 | 8:51 |
| 12 | 15.1 | 5:48 | 8:51 |
| 13 | 15.1 | 5:48 | 8:52 |
| 14 | 15.1 | 5:48 | 8:53 |
| 15 | 15.1 | 5:48 | 8:54 |
| 16 | 15.1 | 5:49 | 8:54 |
| 17 | 15.1 | 5:49 | 8:55 |
| 18 | 15.1 | 5:49 | 8:55 |
| 19 | 15.1 | 5:50 | 8:56 |
| 20 | 15.1 | 5:50 | 8:57 |
| 21 | 15.1 | 5:50 | 8:57 |
| 22 | 15.1 | 5:51 | 8:58 |
| 23 | 15.1 | 5:51 | 8:58 |
| 24 | 15.1 | 5:52 | 8:58 |
| 25 | 15.1 | 5:52 | 8:59 |
| 26 | 15.1 | 5:53 | 8:59 |
| 27 | 15.1 | 5:54 | 9:00 |
| 28 | 15.1 | 5:54 | 9:00 |
| 29 | 15.1 | 5:55 | 9:00 |
| 30 | 15.1 | 5:56 | 9:00 |
| 31 | 15.1 | 5:56 | 9:00 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.92 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.56 kWh/m² to a high of 7.08 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 6.92 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) | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.1 | 7.2 | 7.2 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| 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 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 2 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 3 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 4 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 5 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 6 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 7 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 8 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 9 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.9 | Intense |
| 18 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 19 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 20 | 7.0 | Intense |
| 21 | 7.1 | Intense |
| 22 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 23 | 7.2 | Intense |
| 24 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 25 | 7.3 | Intense |
| 26 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 27 | 7.4 | Intense |
| 28 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 29 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 30 | 7.5 | Intense |
| 31 | 7.5 | Intense |
Is December a good time to visit Kaikoura?
Our two travel scores rate December for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
December is a reasonable time to visit Kaikoura for sightseeing.
What to pack for Kaikoura in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Kaikoura sees daytime highs around 17°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: a warm layer and rain gear. About 11 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Kaikoura in December
The nearest coast averages about 15°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 16 km away) is warmest in February at about 17°C and coldest in August near 10°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) | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Cool |
| Feb | 17 | Cool |
| Mar | 16 | Cool |
| Apr | 14 | Bracing |
| May | 13 | Bracing |
| Jun | 12 | Bracing |
| Jul | 11 | Bracing |
| Aug | 10 | Bracing |
| Sep | 11 | Bracing |
| Oct | 12 | Bracing |
| Nov | 13 | Bracing |
| Dec | 15 | Bracing |
UV index in Kaikoura in December
Clear-sky midday UV in December 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 Kaikoura peaks around January 14 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 16 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 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 10 | Extreme |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 4 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Low |
| Jun | 1 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Low |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 9 | Very high |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Where is Kaikoura?
Kaikoura sits at 42.4°S, 173.7°E, 0 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Blenheim, 103 km away.
Topography around Kaikoura
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kaikoura.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kaikoura has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 131 m around an average of 13 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,593 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,828 m.
The land around Kaikoura is covered by water (64%) and grassland (25%) within 3 km, water (64%) within 16 km, and grassland (42%) and water (33%) 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 Kaikoura (-42.4167°, 173.6833°, elevation 0 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. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).