Rotorua weather in December
In December, Rotorua sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 113 mm of rain across 13 wet days and about 14.6 hours of daylight. It is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.
Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 14 h 30 min at the start of December to 14 h 36 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Rotorua's 12th-clearest and 4th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Rotorua's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 20°
- 4th warmest
- Overnight low
- 11°
- 10th coldest
- Rainfall
- 113 mm
- 13 wet days
- Daylight
- 14 h 36 min
- 5:52 AM – 8:30 PM
- Cloud cover
- 69%
- 12th clearest
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- 4th windiest
- Solar energy
- 6.05 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.7
- out of 10
Rotorua is city in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
- Air quality
- Good
- PM10 18.2 µg/m³ · 2012
- Density
- 25/km²
- people per km²
- Founded
- 1883
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in December
Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.
A typical December day in Rotorua reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 17°C and 23°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 2°C warmer than November and about 2°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) | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Avg low (°C) | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | 10 |
| 2 | 19 | 10 |
| 3 | 19 | 11 |
| 4 | 19 | 11 |
| 5 | 19 | 11 |
| 6 | 19 | 11 |
| 7 | 19 | 11 |
| 8 | 20 | 11 |
| 9 | 20 | 11 |
| 10 | 20 | 11 |
| 11 | 20 | 11 |
| 12 | 20 | 11 |
| 13 | 20 | 11 |
| 14 | 20 | 11 |
| 15 | 20 | 11 |
| 16 | 20 | 11 |
| 17 | 20 | 11 |
| 18 | 20 | 12 |
| 19 | 20 | 12 |
| 20 | 20 | 12 |
| 21 | 20 | 12 |
| 22 | 20 | 12 |
| 23 | 20 | 12 |
| 24 | 20 | 12 |
| 25 | 20 | 12 |
| 26 | 20 | 12 |
| 27 | 21 | 12 |
| 28 | 21 | 12 |
| 29 | 21 | 12 |
| 30 | 21 | 12 |
| 31 | 21 | 12 |
Rotorua weather by month
How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 4th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22° / 13° | 84 | 10.2 | 14.3 | 6.5 |
| Feb | 22° / 13° | 81 | 8.9 | 13.5 | 6.6 |
| Mar | 20° / 11° | 85 | 9.6 | 12.3 | 6.3 |
| Apr | 17° / 9° | 100 | 9.5 | 11 | 5.5 |
| May | 14° / 7° | 101 | 10.3 | 10 | 4.1 |
| Jun | 12° / 5° | 109 | 10.9 | 9.4 | 2.9 |
| Jul | 11° / 4° | 118 | 12.3 | 9.6 | 2.5 |
| Aug | 12° / 5° | 113 | 13.2 | 10.5 | 2.8 |
| Sep | 14° / 6° | 114 | 13 | 11.7 | 3.5 |
| Oct | 15° / 7° | 103 | 12.7 | 13 | 4.4 |
| Nov | 18° / 9° | 93 | 11.4 | 14.1 | 5.4 |
| Dec | 20° / 11° | 113 | 13 | 14.6 | 5.7 |
Cloud cover in December
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 15% of the time in December, the cloudiest month of the year.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 18% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 66%.
| 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 (%) | 34 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 37 | 37 |
| Cloudier (%) | 66 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 66 | 65 | 63 | 63 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 34 | 66 |
| 2 | 33 | 67 |
| 3 | 33 | 67 |
| 4 | 33 | 67 |
| 5 | 33 | 67 |
| 6 | 33 | 67 |
| 7 | 33 | 67 |
| 8 | 33 | 67 |
| 9 | 33 | 67 |
| 10 | 34 | 66 |
| 11 | 34 | 66 |
| 12 | 34 | 66 |
| 13 | 34 | 66 |
| 14 | 34 | 66 |
| 15 | 34 | 66 |
| 16 | 34 | 66 |
| 17 | 34 | 66 |
| 18 | 33 | 67 |
| 19 | 33 | 67 |
| 20 | 32 | 68 |
| 21 | 32 | 68 |
| 22 | 32 | 68 |
| 23 | 32 | 68 |
| 24 | 32 | 68 |
| 25 | 33 | 67 |
| 26 | 33 | 67 |
| 27 | 34 | 66 |
| 28 | 34 | 66 |
| 29 | 35 | 65 |
| 30 | 37 | 63 |
| 31 | 37 | 63 |
Chance of precipitation in December
Rotorua gets around 113 mm of rain over 13 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 41% and peaks near 42% 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 (%) | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 37 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 41 |
| 2 | 41 |
| 3 | 42 |
| 4 | 42 |
| 5 | 42 |
| 6 | 42 |
| 7 | 42 |
| 8 | 42 |
| 9 | 42 |
| 10 | 42 |
| 11 | 42 |
| 12 | 42 |
| 13 | 42 |
| 14 | 42 |
| 15 | 42 |
| 16 | 42 |
| 17 | 42 |
| 18 | 42 |
| 19 | 42 |
| 20 | 41 |
| 21 | 41 |
| 22 | 41 |
| 23 | 41 |
| 24 | 41 |
| 25 | 40 |
| 26 | 40 |
| 27 | 40 |
| 28 | 39 |
| 29 | 38 |
| 30 | 38 |
| 31 | 37 |
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 68% 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 | 76 | 75 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 70 | 70 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 67 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 66 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 65 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 64 | 62 |
| Comfortable (%) | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 |
| Humid (%) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 79 | 19 | 2 |
| 2 | 78 | 20 | 2 |
| 3 | 76 | 21 | 3 |
| 4 | 75 | 22 | 3 |
| 5 | 73 | 23 | 4 |
| 6 | 72 | 24 | 4 |
| 7 | 72 | 24 | 4 |
| 8 | 70 | 25 | 5 |
| 9 | 70 | 25 | 5 |
| 10 | 69 | 26 | 5 |
| 11 | 69 | 26 | 5 |
| 12 | 68 | 26 | 6 |
| 13 | 67 | 27 | 6 |
| 14 | 67 | 27 | 6 |
| 15 | 67 | 27 | 6 |
| 16 | 67 | 27 | 6 |
| 17 | 67 | 27 | 6 |
| 18 | 66 | 28 | 6 |
| 19 | 66 | 28 | 6 |
| 20 | 66 | 28 | 6 |
| 21 | 66 | 28 | 6 |
| 22 | 66 | 28 | 6 |
| 23 | 65 | 28 | 7 |
| 24 | 65 | 28 | 7 |
| 25 | 65 | 28 | 7 |
| 26 | 65 | 28 | 7 |
| 27 | 64 | 28 | 8 |
| 28 | 64 | 28 | 8 |
| 29 | 64 | 28 | 8 |
| 30 | 64 | 28 | 8 |
| 31 | 62 | 29 | 9 |
Wind in December
Winds average 12 km/h in December.
Across December, daily wind ranges from about 11 km/h on the calmest days to 12 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) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 |
| Feels | light breeze | light breeze | light breeze | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | light breeze |
| 2 | 12 | light breeze |
| 3 | 12 | light breeze |
| 4 | 12 | calm |
| 5 | 12 | calm |
| 6 | 12 | calm |
| 7 | 12 | calm |
| 8 | 12 | calm |
| 9 | 12 | calm |
| 10 | 12 | calm |
| 11 | 12 | calm |
| 12 | 12 | calm |
| 13 | 12 | calm |
| 14 | 12 | calm |
| 15 | 12 | calm |
| 16 | 12 | calm |
| 17 | 12 | calm |
| 18 | 12 | calm |
| 19 | 12 | calm |
| 20 | 12 | calm |
| 21 | 12 | calm |
| 22 | 12 | calm |
| 23 | 12 | calm |
| 24 | 12 | calm |
| 25 | 12 | calm |
| 26 | 12 | calm |
| 27 | 12 | calm |
| 28 | 12 | calm |
| 29 | 12 | calm |
| 30 | 11 | calm |
| 31 | 11 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in December
Daylight runs from about 14 h 30 min at the start of December to 14 h 36 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days grow by about 6 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 5:51 AM to 6:00 AM, and sunset from 8:18 PM to 8:37 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) | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 | 14.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:51 | 5:52 | 5:52 | 5:52 | 5:52 | 5:53 | 5:53 | 5:53 | 5:54 | 5:54 | 5:55 | 5:55 | 5:56 | 5:56 | 5:57 | 5:58 | 5:58 | 5:59 | 6:00 |
| Sunset (PM) | 8:18 | 8:19 | 8:20 | 8:21 | 8:22 | 8:23 | 8:24 | 8:25 | 8:25 | 8:26 | 8:27 | 8:28 | 8:28 | 8:29 | 8:30 | 8:30 | 8:31 | 8:32 | 8:32 | 8:33 | 8:33 | 8:34 | 8:34 | 8:34 | 8:35 | 8:35 | 8:36 | 8:36 | 8:36 | 8:36 | 8:37 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:18 |
| 2 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:19 |
| 3 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:20 |
| 4 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:21 |
| 5 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:22 |
| 6 | 14.5 | 5:51 | 8:23 |
| 7 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:24 |
| 8 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:25 |
| 9 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:25 |
| 10 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:26 |
| 11 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:27 |
| 12 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:28 |
| 13 | 14.6 | 5:51 | 8:28 |
| 14 | 14.6 | 5:52 | 8:29 |
| 15 | 14.6 | 5:52 | 8:30 |
| 16 | 14.6 | 5:52 | 8:30 |
| 17 | 14.6 | 5:52 | 8:31 |
| 18 | 14.6 | 5:53 | 8:32 |
| 19 | 14.6 | 5:53 | 8:32 |
| 20 | 14.7 | 5:53 | 8:33 |
| 21 | 14.7 | 5:54 | 8:33 |
| 22 | 14.7 | 5:54 | 8:34 |
| 23 | 14.7 | 5:55 | 8:34 |
| 24 | 14.7 | 5:55 | 8:34 |
| 25 | 14.6 | 5:56 | 8:35 |
| 26 | 14.6 | 5:56 | 8:35 |
| 27 | 14.6 | 5:57 | 8:36 |
| 28 | 14.6 | 5:58 | 8:36 |
| 29 | 14.6 | 5:58 | 8:36 |
| 30 | 14.6 | 5:59 | 8:36 |
| 31 | 14.6 | 6:00 | 8:37 |
Solar energy in December
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 6.05 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.79 kWh/m² to a high of 6.59 kWh/m² in January across the year — December's 6.05 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) | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| Level | Bright | Bright | Bright | 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 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 2 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 3 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 4 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 5 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 6 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 7 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 8 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 9 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 10 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 11 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 12 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 13 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 14 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 15 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 16 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 17 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 18 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 19 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 20 | 6.2 | Intense |
| 21 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 22 | 6.3 | Intense |
| 23 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 24 | 6.4 | Intense |
| 25 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 26 | 6.5 | Intense |
| 27 | 6.6 | Intense |
| 28 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 29 | 6.7 | Intense |
| 30 | 6.8 | Intense |
| 31 | 6.8 | Intense |
Is December a good time to visit Rotorua?
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 Rotorua for sightseeing.
What to pack for Rotorua in December
From December's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In December, Rotorua sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Rotorua in December
The nearest coast averages about 18°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 44 km away) is warmest in February at about 21°C and coldest in August near 14°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jan 22 to Mar 25 — about 2.1 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| Comfort | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Cool |
| Feb | 21 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 20 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 19 | Cool |
| May | 18 | Cool |
| Jun | 16 | Cool |
| Jul | 15 | Bracing |
| Aug | 14 | Bracing |
| Sep | 14 | Bracing |
| Oct | 15 | Cool |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 18 | Cool |
UV index in Rotorua in December
Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Rotorua peaks around December 22 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 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 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Moderate |
| Aug | 3 | Moderate |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 7 | Very high |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Where is Rotorua?
Rotorua sits at 38.1°S, 176.2°E, 287 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Tauranga, 51 km away.
Topography around Rotorua
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Rotorua.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Rotorua has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 84 m around an average of 292 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 572 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,180 m.
The land around Rotorua is covered by artificial surfaces (36%), trees (22%) and water (22%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and grassland (37%) within 16 km, and trees (44%) and grassland (36%) 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 Rotorua (-38.1387°, 176.2452°, elevation 287 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).