Climate and average weather in Napier
In Napier, the summers are mild, fairly dry, and partly cloudy and the winters are cool and partly cloudy.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Napier typically varies from 8°C to 22°C, and is rarely below 5°C or above 26°C. January is the hottest month of the year, while July is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best times of year to visit Napier for warm-weather activities are from early January to late April and late October to late December.
- Hottest
- Jan
- 22°
- Coldest
- Jul
- 8°
- Wettest
- Jul
- 92 mm
- Driest
- Feb
- 56 mm
- Rain / yr
- 811 mm
- 110 wet days
- Daylight
- 9.2–14.8 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 6 m
- 39.5°S
- Clearest
- May
- 51% cloud
Napier is city in the North Island of New Zealand.
- Air quality
- Excellent
- PM10 13.7 µg/m³ · 2012
- Density
- 626/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1851
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Napier weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around early January to late April.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Napier, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 3.7 months, from December 7 to March 30, with daily high temperatures above 19°C. The hottest month of the year in Napier is January, with an average high of 22°C and low of 16°C.
The cool season lasts 3.4 months, from June 2 to September 12, with daily high temperatures below 15°C. The coldest month of the year in Napier is July, with an average low of 8°C and high of 13°C.
Days typically run about 5°C warmer than nights year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 22 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| Avg low (°C) | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 15 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | 16 |
| Feb | 22 | 17 |
| Mar | 20 | 15 |
| Apr | 18 | 13 |
| May | 16 | 11 |
| Jun | 14 | 9 |
| Jul | 13 | 8 |
| Aug | 13 | 8 |
| Sep | 15 | 9 |
| Oct | 16 | 11 |
| Nov | 18 | 13 |
| Dec | 20 | 15 |
Average hourly temperature in Napier
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on January afternoons, near 22°C, and coldest before dawn in July, near 8°C.
Napier weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22° / 16° | 63 | 7.7 | 14.5 | 7.0 |
| Feb | 22° / 17° | 56 | 8 | 13.6 | 6.8 |
| Mar | 20° / 15° | 65 | 8.2 | 12.3 | 6.7 |
| Apr | 18° / 13° | 80 | 8.8 | 11 | 6.1 |
| May | 16° / 11° | 65 | 9.1 | 9.9 | 5.2 |
| Jun | 14° / 9° | 79 | 10.1 | 9.3 | 4.1 |
| Jul | 13° / 8° | 92 | 11.1 | 9.5 | 3.5 |
| Aug | 13° / 8° | 71 | 10.6 | 10.4 | 3.8 |
| Sep | 15° / 9° | 62 | 9.4 | 11.7 | 4.6 |
| Oct | 16° / 11° | 63 | 9.3 | 13 | 5.4 |
| Nov | 18° / 13° | 58 | 8.8 | 14.2 | 6.1 |
| Dec | 20° / 15° | 58 | 9.3 | 14.7 | 6.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Napier gets about 811 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is often wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 4.7 months, from around May 26 to Oct 16, peaking in July at about 39% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jan 4.
July is the wettest month by volume, with 92 mm over about 11 wet days; February is the driest, with 56 mm.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 26 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 33 | 36 | 34 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
| Rain days | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | 8 |
| Feb | 28 | 8 |
| Mar | 27 | 8 |
| Apr | 29 | 9 |
| May | 29 | 9 |
| Jun | 33 | 10 |
| Jul | 36 | 11 |
| Aug | 34 | 11 |
| Sep | 31 | 9 |
| Oct | 30 | 9 |
| Nov | 29 | 9 |
| Dec | 29 | 9 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Napier collects about 811 mm of rain across 110 wet days — roughly 68 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. July is the wettest month with 92 mm, while February is the driest at just 56 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 31% of the year’s total.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 63 | 56 | 65 | 80 | 65 | 79 | 92 | 71 | 62 | 63 | 58 | 58 |
| Rain days | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 63 | 8 |
| Feb | 56 | 8 |
| Mar | 65 | 8 |
| Apr | 80 | 9 |
| May | 65 | 9 |
| Jun | 79 | 10 |
| Jul | 92 | 11 |
| Aug | 71 | 11 |
| Sep | 62 | 9 |
| Oct | 63 | 9 |
| Nov | 58 | 9 |
| Dec | 58 | 9 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Napier, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows mild seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around May 6 and lasts for 1.7 months, ending around June 26. The clearest month is May, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 57% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around October 31 and lasts for 2.0 months, ending around December 30. The cloudiest month is December, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 51% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 57 | 56 | 51 | 56 | 56 | 56 | 53 | 49 |
| Cloudier (%) | 46 | 46 | 46 | 46 | 43 | 44 | 49 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 47 | 51 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54 | 46 |
| Feb | 54 | 46 |
| Mar | 54 | 46 |
| Apr | 54 | 46 |
| May | 57 | 43 |
| Jun | 56 | 44 |
| Jul | 51 | 49 |
| Aug | 56 | 44 |
| Sep | 56 | 44 |
| Oct | 56 | 44 |
| Nov | 53 | 47 |
| Dec | 49 | 51 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around December 13, brings about 14 h 48 min of light; the shortest, around June 14, only 9 h 12 min — a swing of roughly 5 h 36 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 14.5 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 11.0 | 9.9 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 10.4 | 11.7 | 13.0 | 14.2 | 14.7 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:07 | 6:41 | 7:12 | 7:44 | 8:13 | 8:36 | 8:34 | 8:03 | 7:14 | 6:26 | 5:51 | 5:45 |
| Sunset (PM) | 8:37 | 8:13 | 7:32 | 6:41 | 6:04 | 5:49 | 6:02 | 6:30 | 6:59 | 7:29 | 8:04 | 8:32 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14.5 | 6:07 | 8:37 |
| Feb | 13.6 | 6:41 | 8:13 |
| Mar | 12.3 | 7:12 | 7:32 |
| Apr | 11.0 | 7:44 | 6:41 |
| May | 9.9 | 8:13 | 6:04 |
| Jun | 9.3 | 8:36 | 5:49 |
| Jul | 9.5 | 8:34 | 6:02 |
| Aug | 10.4 | 8:03 | 6:30 |
| Sep | 11.7 | 7:14 | 6:59 |
| Oct | 13.0 | 6:26 | 7:29 |
| Nov | 14.2 | 5:51 | 8:04 |
| Dec | 14.7 | 5:45 | 8:32 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Napier averages about 11 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 8 and 14 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 2.0 months, from around May 3 to Jul 1. The sunniest month is May, with roughly 13 sunny days (mixed).
The greyest month is December, down near 9 sunny days — about 27% fewer than the May peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| Sky | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Mixed |
| Feb | 10 | Mixed |
| Mar | 12 | Mixed |
| Apr | 11 | Mixed |
| May | 13 | Mixed |
| Jun | 12 | Mixed |
| Jul | 11 | Mixed |
| Aug | 12 | Mixed |
| Sep | 12 | Mixed |
| Oct | 12 | Mixed |
| Nov | 10 | Mixed |
| Dec | 9 | Mixed |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Napier, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 4.1 months, from around December 5 to April 9. The muggiest month is February, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 32% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around April 10 to December 4, and November is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 99% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 38 | 31 | 47 | 72 | 90 | 99 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 81 | 54 |
| Comfortable (%) | 37 | 37 | 38 | 23 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 34 |
| Humid (%) | 22 | 27 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| Muggy (%) | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 38 | 37 | 22 | 3 |
| Feb | 31 | 37 | 27 | 5 |
| Mar | 47 | 38 | 15 | 0 |
| Apr | 72 | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| May | 90 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 99 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Oct | 96 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov | 81 | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Dec | 54 | 34 | 12 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Napier is steady company: average speeds sit near 15 km/h — light breeze — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 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 |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 15 | light breeze |
| Feb | 14 | light breeze |
| Mar | 15 | light breeze |
| Apr | 14 | light breeze |
| May | 15 | light breeze |
| Jun | 16 | light breeze |
| Jul | 16 | light breeze |
| Aug | 16 | light breeze |
| Sep | 15 | light breeze |
| Oct | 16 | light breeze |
| Nov | 16 | light breeze |
| Dec | 15 | light breeze |
Best time to visit Napier
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Napier throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around late April, Napier is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Napier for general outdoor tourist activities is from late October to early May, with a peak score in the second week of January.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.0 | 6.4 |
| Rating | good | good | good | good | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | good | good |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6.9 | good |
| Feb | 6.8 | good |
| Mar | 6.6 | good |
| Apr | 6.1 | good |
| May | 5.2 | fair |
| Jun | 4.1 | fair |
| Jul | 3.6 | fair |
| Aug | 3.8 | fair |
| Sep | 4.6 | fair |
| Oct | 5.4 | fair |
| Nov | 6.0 | good |
| Dec | 6.4 | good |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Napier for hot-weather activities is from late December to mid March, with a peak score in the last week of January.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Napier, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around January (highs near 22°C), the essentials are sun protection. In the cold season around July (highs near 13°C), pack a warm layer and rain gear.
In January, Napier sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection. About 8 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Napier
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 20°C and coldest in August near 13°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) | 19 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 19 | Cool |
| Feb | 20 | Cool |
| Mar | 19 | Cool |
| Apr | 18 | Cool |
| May | 16 | Cool |
| Jun | 14 | Bracing |
| Jul | 13 | Bracing |
| Aug | 13 | Bracing |
| Sep | 13 | Bracing |
| Oct | 14 | Bracing |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 17 | Cool |
UV index (midday) in Napier by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Napier peaks around January 13 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 17 at about 2 (low).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 5 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Moderate |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Average hourly UV index in Napier
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in January the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 9 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6.5 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 9 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 4 | 7 | 8.5 | 9 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 6.5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 6.5 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 8.5 | 6 |
| Mar | 6.5 | 3 |
| Apr | 4.5 | 0 |
| May | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 1.5 | 0 |
| Sep | 4 | 0 |
| Oct | 7 | 3 |
| Nov | 8.5 | 6 |
| Dec | 9 | 6.5 |
Growing season
Napier is frost-free year round — even the coldest nights rarely reach freezing, so there is no start or end to the growing season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Frost nights | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 100 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Napier banks about 1,672 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around February.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 275 | 252 | 234 | 163 | 105 | 39 | 16 | 23 | 62 | 114 | 159 | 230 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 275 |
| Feb | 252 |
| Mar | 234 |
| Apr | 163 |
| May | 105 |
| Jun | 39 |
| Jul | 16 |
| Aug | 23 |
| Sep | 62 |
| Oct | 114 |
| Nov | 159 |
| Dec | 230 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Napier receives about 4.3 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — bright — with a clear seasonal swing between 1.8 and 7.3 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.0 months, from around Sep 21 to Mar 21. The brightest month is January, averaging about 6.8 kWh/m² (intense).
The dimmest month is June, down near 1.8 kWh/m² — roughly 73% less than the January peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 7.0 | 5.7 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 1.9 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 5.4 | 6.3 | 6.7 |
| Level | Intense | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Dim | Dim | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Intense | Intense |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.0 | Intense |
| Feb | 5.7 | Bright |
| Mar | 4.4 | Bright |
| Apr | 3.2 | Moderate |
| May | 2.3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 1.8 | Dim |
| Jul | 1.9 | Dim |
| Aug | 2.8 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4.0 | Bright |
| Oct | 5.4 | Bright |
| Nov | 6.3 | Intense |
| Dec | 6.7 | Intense |
Where is Napier?
Napier sits at 39.5°S, 176.9°E, 6 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Hastings, 17 km away.
Topography around Napier
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Napier.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Napier has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 97 m around an average of 6 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 366 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,719 m.
The land around Napier is covered by water (52%) and artificial surfaces (31%) within 3 km, water (51%) and grassland (30%) within 16 km, and grassland (37%), water (32%) and trees (30%) 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 Napier (-39.4926°, 176.9123°, elevation 6 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).