Kaikoura weather in October

In October, Kaikoura sees average daytime highs of 13°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 82 mm of precipitation across 12.5 wet days and about 13.2 hours of daylight. It is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 13°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in October, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 12 h 30 min at the start of October to 13 h 48 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, October is Kaikoura's 9th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Kaikoura's year-round climate.

Daytime high
13°
7th warmest
Overnight low
5th coldest
Precipitation
82 mm
12.5 wet days
Daylight
13 h 12 min
6:35 AM – 7:45 PM
Cloud cover
56%
9th clearest
Wind
14 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
5.37 kWh/m²
Travel score
3.6
out of 10

Kaikoura is town in New Zealand.

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in October

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 13°C through the month.

A typical October day in Kaikoura reaches about 13°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 10°C and 16°C. Set against its neighbours, October runs about 1°C warmer than September and about 2°C cooler than November.

10°15°20°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1138
2138
3138
4138
5138
6138
7138
8138
9138
10138
11139
12139
13139
14139
15139
16139
17139
18139
19139
20139
21139
22139
23149
24149
25149
26149
271410
281410
291410
301410
311410

Kaikoura weather by month

How October compares with the rest of the year at a glance. October is the 7th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan18° / 14°6910.1014.75.9
Feb18° / 14°608.6013.76.1
Mar17° / 13°709.2012.45.6
Apr15° / 11°8010.1010.94.5
May13° / 6910.20.29.63.7
Jun11° / 9611.60.892.5
Jul10° / 9311.81.19.22.1
Aug10° / 7911.30.910.32.4
Sep12° / 659.80.511.73.1
Oct13° / 8212.50.413.23.6
Nov15° / 11°7110.8014.44.4
Dec17° / 13°6511.20155.2

Cloud cover in October

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 34% of the time in October.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of October, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 50%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24852
34753
44753
54753
64753
74753
84753
94753
104753
114852
124753
134951
144951
154951
165050
175149
185248
195248
205347
215347
225347
235446
245446
255446
265446
275446
285446
295446
305446
315347

Chance of precipitation in October

Any precipitationSnow

Kaikoura gets around 82 mm of rain and snow over 12.5 wet days in October. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 40% and peaks near 45% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
1412
2412
3422
4422
5432
6432
7442
8442
9442
10452
11452
12452
13442
14442
15432
16422
17411
18401
19391
20391
21381
22371
23370
24360
25360
26350
27350
28340
29340
30340
31340

Humidity in October

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of October feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, October lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)
11000
21000
31000
41000
51000
61000
71000
81000
91000
101000
111000
121000
131000
141000
151000
161000
171000
181000
191000
201000
211000
221000
231000
241000
251000
261000
271000
281000
291000
301000
31991

Wind in October

Winds average 14 km/h in October.

Across October, 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.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1314light breeze
1414light breeze
1514light breeze
1614light breeze
1714light breeze
1814light breeze
1914light breeze
2014light breeze
2114light breeze
2214light breeze
2314light breeze
2414light breeze
2514light breeze
2614light breeze
2714light breeze
2814light breeze
2914light breeze
3014light breeze
3114light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in October

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 12 h 30 min at the start of October to 13 h 48 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 78 minutes over October. Sunrise moves from 7:01 AM to 6:14 AM, and sunset from 7:28 PM to 8:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
112.57:017:28
212.56:597:29
312.66:577:30
412.66:557:31
512.66:547:32
612.76:527:34
712.76:507:35
812.86:487:36
912.86:477:37
1012.96:457:38
1112.96:437:39
1213.06:427:41
1313.06:407:42
1413.16:387:43
1513.16:377:44
1613.26:357:45
1713.26:347:47
1813.36:327:48
1913.36:307:49
2013.46:297:50
2113.46:277:52
2213.46:267:53
2313.56:247:54
2413.56:237:55
2513.66:227:57
2613.66:207:58
2713.76:197:59
2813.76:178:00
2913.86:168:02
3013.86:158:03
3113.86:148:04

Solar energy in October

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in October, about 5.37 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 — October's 5.37 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.6Bright
24.6Bright
34.7Bright
44.7Bright
54.7Bright
64.8Bright
74.8Bright
84.9Bright
94.9Bright
105.0Bright
115.0Bright
125.1Bright
135.2Bright
145.3Bright
155.3Bright
165.4Bright
175.5Bright
185.5Bright
195.6Bright
205.6Bright
215.7Bright
225.7Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.9Bright
265.9Bright
276.0Bright
286.0Bright
296.0Intense
306.0Intense
316.1Intense
Planning a trip in October

Is October a good time to visit Kaikoura?

Our two travel scores rate October for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

3.6
Sightseeing
8th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

October is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Kaikoura.

What to pack for Kaikoura in October

From October's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In October, Kaikoura sees daytime highs around 13°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: a warm layer, rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layerrain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Kaikoura in October

The nearest coast averages about 12°C in October — 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.

10°15°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcool
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan16Cool
Feb17Cool
Mar16Cool
Apr14Bracing
May13Bracing
Jun12Bracing
Jul11Bracing
Aug10Bracing
Sep11Bracing
Oct12Bracing
Nov13Bracing
Dec15Bracing

UV index in Kaikoura in October

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in October peaks around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. 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.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecExtremeModerateLowModerateHighVery highExtremeJan 14UV 11Jun 16UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan11Extreme
Feb10Extreme
Mar6High
Apr4Moderate
May2Low
Jun1Low
Jul2Low
Aug3Moderate
Sep4Moderate
Oct6High
Nov9Very high
Dec11Extreme
Location & terrain

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.

BlenheimRichmondStokePictonNelsonRangioraChristchurchKarori

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.

3 km
131 m
16 km
1,593 m
80 km
2,828 m
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
October weather nearby: Blenheim 103 km · Richmond 127 km · Stoke 128 km · Picton 128 km · Nelson 132 km · Rangiora 133 km · Christchurch 151 km · Karori 153 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
no religion 49%Christian 37%objected to answering 7%Hindu 3%

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).