Palmerston North in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Palmerston North sees average daytime highs around 21°C and overnight lows near 13°C, with 232 mm of rain over about 32 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 3rd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early December to 22°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Palmerston North's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Palmerston North's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 21°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 13°C
- Rainfall
- 232 mm
- 32 wet days
- Avg wind
- 15 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Palmerston North in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 19°C in early December to 22°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Palmerston North reaches about 21°C and drops to 13°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest December.
Palmerston North weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21° / 14° | 70 | 10.4 | 14.5 | 6.4 |
| Feb | 22° / 14° | 64 | 8.2 | 13.6 | 6.8 |
| Mar | 20° / 12° | 62 | 9.6 | 12.3 | 6.4 |
| Apr | 18° / 10° | 82 | 10.5 | 11 | 5.7 |
| May | 15° / 8° | 79 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 4.5 |
| Jun | 13° / 6° | 90 | 13.3 | 9.2 | 3.4 |
| Jul | 12° / 6° | 89 | 13.4 | 9.4 | 3.1 |
| Aug | 13° / 6° | 89 | 13.9 | 10.4 | 3.3 |
| Sep | 14° / 7° | 94 | 14.4 | 11.7 | 3.8 |
| Oct | 16° / 9° | 110 | 15 | 13.1 | 4.3 |
| Nov | 18° / 10° | 87 | 13.6 | 14.2 | 5.1 |
| Dec | 20° / 12° | 98 | 13.5 | 14.8 | 5.6 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Palmerston North gets around 232 mm of rain over 32 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 15 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 42 min in early December to 13 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 6.3 kWh/m².
Is summer a good time to visit Palmerston North?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is a reasonable time to visit Palmerston North for sightseeing.
What to pack for Palmerston North in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Palmerston North sees daytime highs around 21°C and nights near 13°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 32 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Palmerston North in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 18°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 41 km away) is warmest in February at about 19°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) | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Cool |
| Feb | 19 | Cool |
| Mar | 18 | Cool |
| Apr | 17 | Cool |
| May | 16 | Cool |
| Jun | 14 | Bracing |
| Jul | 13 | Bracing |
| Aug | 13 | Bracing |
| Sep | 13 | Bracing |
| Oct | 14 | Bracing |
| Nov | 15 | Bracing |
| Dec | 16 | Cool |
UV index in Palmerston North in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages 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 Palmerston North peaks around January 13 at about 11 (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 8 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 11 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | High | Moderate | Moderate | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 7 | High |
| Apr | 4 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Low |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 4 | Moderate |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 10 | Extreme |
| Dec | 11 | Extreme |
Where is Palmerston North?
Palmerston North sits at 40.4°S, 175.6°E, 34 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Levin, 42 km away.
Topography around Palmerston North
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Palmerston North.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Palmerston North has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 54 m around an average of 32 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 611 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,719 m.
The land around Palmerston North is covered by artificial surfaces (54%) and grassland (25%) within 3 km, grassland (71%) within 16 km, and grassland (58%) and trees (24%) 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 Palmerston North (-40.3564°, 175.6111°, elevation 34 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.