Wanaka weather in February
In February, Wanaka sees average daytime highs of 18°C and overnight lows near 9°C, with 81 mm of precipitation across 9.3 wet days and about 13.9 hours of daylight. It is the 1st-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in February, and the air most often feels dry.
Daylight stretches from about 14 h 30 min at the start of February to 13 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, February is Wanaka's 1st-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Wanaka's year-round climate.
- Daytime high
- 18°
- 1st warmest
- Overnight low
- 9°
- 12th coldest
- Precipitation
- 81 mm
- 9.3 wet days
- Daylight
- 13 h 54 min
- 7:02 AM – 8:54 PM
- Cloud cover
- 64%
- 1st clearest
- Wind
- 7 km/h
- 5th windiest
- Solar energy
- 5.56 kWh/m²
- Travel score
- 5.6
- out of 10
Wanaka is ski and summer resort town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand.
- Density
- 461/km²
- people per km²
Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.
Temperature in February
Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 18°C through the month.
A typical February day in Wanaka reaches about 18°C in the afternoon and slips back to 9°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 13°C and 21°C. Set against its neighbours, February runs on par with January and about 2°C warmer than March.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Avg low (°C) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | 9 |
| 2 | 18 | 9 |
| 3 | 18 | 9 |
| 4 | 18 | 9 |
| 5 | 18 | 9 |
| 6 | 18 | 9 |
| 7 | 18 | 9 |
| 8 | 18 | 9 |
| 9 | 18 | 9 |
| 10 | 18 | 9 |
| 11 | 18 | 9 |
| 12 | 18 | 9 |
| 13 | 18 | 9 |
| 14 | 18 | 9 |
| 15 | 18 | 9 |
| 16 | 18 | 9 |
| 17 | 18 | 9 |
| 18 | 18 | 9 |
| 19 | 17 | 9 |
| 20 | 17 | 8 |
| 21 | 17 | 8 |
| 22 | 17 | 8 |
| 23 | 17 | 8 |
| 24 | 17 | 8 |
| 25 | 17 | 8 |
| 26 | 17 | 8 |
| 27 | 17 | 8 |
| 28 | 17 | 8 |
How February really feels in Wanaka
Once humidity and wind are folded in, February averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.
February sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Wanaka weather by month
How February compares with the rest of the year at a glance. February is the 1st-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 | 17° / 9° | 113 | 11.2 | 0.1 | 15 | 5.4 |
| Feb | 18° / 9° | 81 | 9.3 | 0.1 | 13.9 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 15° / 7° | 96 | 10.5 | 0.1 | 12.4 | 4.6 |
| Apr | 12° / 4° | 89 | 10.2 | 0.5 | 10.8 | 3.2 |
| May | 8° / 2° | 104 | 12.7 | 2.2 | 9.4 | 1.4 |
| Jun | 4° / -1° | 85 | 10.6 | 4.3 | 8.7 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 3° / -3° | 79 | 9.7 | 5 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 5° / -1° | 78 | 10.6 | 4.6 | 10.1 | 0.2 |
| Sep | 8° / 1° | 110 | 12.8 | 3.9 | 11.7 | 1.3 |
| Oct | 11° / 2° | 118 | 14 | 2.7 | 13.3 | 2.4 |
| Nov | 13° / 5° | 116 | 13.4 | 1.2 | 14.6 | 3.4 |
| Dec | 16° / 7° | 124 | 14.1 | 0.3 | 15.3 | 4.4 |
Cloud cover in February
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 22% of the time in February, the clearest month of the year.
Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 19% of February, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 59%.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 39 | 41 | 41 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 43 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 42 |
| Cloudier (%) | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 61 | 59 | 59 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 58 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 39 | 61 |
| 2 | 39 | 61 |
| 3 | 39 | 61 |
| 4 | 39 | 61 |
| 5 | 39 | 61 |
| 6 | 39 | 61 |
| 7 | 39 | 61 |
| 8 | 41 | 59 |
| 9 | 41 | 59 |
| 10 | 40 | 60 |
| 11 | 40 | 60 |
| 12 | 40 | 60 |
| 13 | 40 | 60 |
| 14 | 41 | 59 |
| 15 | 41 | 59 |
| 16 | 42 | 58 |
| 17 | 42 | 58 |
| 18 | 42 | 58 |
| 19 | 42 | 58 |
| 20 | 42 | 58 |
| 21 | 43 | 57 |
| 22 | 43 | 57 |
| 23 | 43 | 57 |
| 24 | 43 | 57 |
| 25 | 42 | 58 |
| 26 | 42 | 58 |
| 27 | 42 | 58 |
| 28 | 42 | 58 |
Chance of precipitation in February
Wanaka gets around 81 mm of rain and snow over 9.3 wet days in February. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 34% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days, and about 0 day brings snow.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain chance (%) | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 | 34 |
| Rain chance (%) | |
|---|---|
| 1 | 32 |
| 2 | 32 |
| 3 | 32 |
| 4 | 32 |
| 5 | 32 |
| 6 | 32 |
| 7 | 33 |
| 8 | 33 |
| 9 | 33 |
| 10 | 33 |
| 11 | 33 |
| 12 | 33 |
| 13 | 34 |
| 14 | 34 |
| 15 | 34 |
| 16 | 34 |
| 17 | 35 |
| 18 | 35 |
| 19 | 35 |
| 20 | 35 |
| 21 | 35 |
| 22 | 35 |
| 23 | 35 |
| 24 | 34 |
| 25 | 34 |
| 26 | 34 |
| 27 | 34 |
| 28 | 34 |
Humidity in February
Most of February feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
By dew point, February lands in the dry band about 97% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 94 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 97 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 99 | 99 | 99 |
| Comfortable (%) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 94 | 6 |
| 2 | 95 | 5 |
| 3 | 95 | 5 |
| 4 | 95 | 5 |
| 5 | 95 | 5 |
| 6 | 96 | 4 |
| 7 | 96 | 4 |
| 8 | 96 | 4 |
| 9 | 96 | 4 |
| 10 | 96 | 4 |
| 11 | 97 | 3 |
| 12 | 97 | 3 |
| 13 | 97 | 3 |
| 14 | 97 | 3 |
| 15 | 97 | 3 |
| 16 | 98 | 2 |
| 17 | 98 | 2 |
| 18 | 98 | 2 |
| 19 | 98 | 2 |
| 20 | 98 | 2 |
| 21 | 98 | 2 |
| 22 | 98 | 2 |
| 23 | 98 | 2 |
| 24 | 98 | 2 |
| 25 | 98 | 2 |
| 26 | 99 | 1 |
| 27 | 99 | 1 |
| 28 | 99 | 1 |
Wind in February
Winds average 7 km/h in February.
Across February, daily wind ranges from about 7 km/h on the calmest days to 7 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
| Feels | 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 | 7 | calm |
| 2 | 7 | calm |
| 3 | 7 | calm |
| 4 | 7 | calm |
| 5 | 7 | calm |
| 6 | 7 | calm |
| 7 | 7 | calm |
| 8 | 7 | calm |
| 9 | 7 | calm |
| 10 | 7 | calm |
| 11 | 7 | calm |
| 12 | 7 | calm |
| 13 | 7 | calm |
| 14 | 7 | calm |
| 15 | 7 | calm |
| 16 | 7 | calm |
| 17 | 7 | calm |
| 18 | 7 | calm |
| 19 | 7 | calm |
| 20 | 7 | calm |
| 21 | 7 | calm |
| 22 | 7 | calm |
| 23 | 7 | calm |
| 24 | 7 | calm |
| 25 | 7 | calm |
| 26 | 7 | calm |
| 27 | 7 | calm |
| 28 | 7 | calm |
Sunrise & sunset in February
Daylight runs from about 14 h 30 min at the start of February to 13 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Days shrink by about 78 minutes over February. Sunrise moves from 6:43 AM to 7:20 AM, and sunset from 9:11 PM to 8:33 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 14.5 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 14.3 | 14.3 | 14.2 | 14.2 | 14.1 | 14.1 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | 13.9 | 13.9 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 13.6 | 13.6 | 13.5 | 13.5 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.3 | 13.3 | 13.2 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:43 | 6:44 | 6:45 | 6:47 | 6:48 | 6:50 | 6:51 | 6:52 | 6:54 | 6:55 | 6:57 | 6:58 | 6:59 | 7:01 | 7:02 | 7:04 | 7:05 | 7:06 | 7:08 | 7:09 | 7:11 | 7:12 | 7:13 | 7:15 | 7:16 | 7:17 | 7:19 | 7:20 |
| Sunset (PM) | 9:11 | 9:10 | 9:09 | 9:08 | 9:07 | 9:06 | 9:04 | 9:03 | 9:02 | 9:01 | 8:59 | 8:58 | 8:57 | 8:55 | 8:54 | 8:52 | 8:51 | 8:49 | 8:48 | 8:46 | 8:45 | 8:43 | 8:42 | 8:40 | 8:38 | 8:37 | 8:35 | 8:33 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.5 | 6:43 | 9:11 |
| 2 | 14.4 | 6:44 | 9:10 |
| 3 | 14.4 | 6:45 | 9:09 |
| 4 | 14.4 | 6:47 | 9:08 |
| 5 | 14.3 | 6:48 | 9:07 |
| 6 | 14.3 | 6:50 | 9:06 |
| 7 | 14.2 | 6:51 | 9:04 |
| 8 | 14.2 | 6:52 | 9:03 |
| 9 | 14.1 | 6:54 | 9:02 |
| 10 | 14.1 | 6:55 | 9:01 |
| 11 | 14.0 | 6:57 | 8:59 |
| 12 | 14.0 | 6:58 | 8:58 |
| 13 | 14.0 | 6:59 | 8:57 |
| 14 | 13.9 | 7:01 | 8:55 |
| 15 | 13.9 | 7:02 | 8:54 |
| 16 | 13.8 | 7:04 | 8:52 |
| 17 | 13.8 | 7:05 | 8:51 |
| 18 | 13.7 | 7:06 | 8:49 |
| 19 | 13.7 | 7:08 | 8:48 |
| 20 | 13.6 | 7:09 | 8:46 |
| 21 | 13.6 | 7:11 | 8:45 |
| 22 | 13.5 | 7:12 | 8:43 |
| 23 | 13.5 | 7:13 | 8:42 |
| 24 | 13.4 | 7:15 | 8:40 |
| 25 | 13.4 | 7:16 | 8:38 |
| 26 | 13.3 | 7:17 | 8:37 |
| 27 | 13.3 | 7:19 | 8:35 |
| 28 | 13.2 | 7:20 | 8:33 |
Solar energy in February
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in February, about 5.56 kWh/m².
For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.21 kWh/m² to a high of 6.66 kWh/m² in January across the year — February's 5.56 kWh/m² falls in the middle.
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 6.1 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 5.9 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Level | Intense | Intense | Intense | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.1 | Intense |
| 2 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 3 | 6.0 | Intense |
| 4 | 6.0 | Bright |
| 5 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 6 | 5.9 | Bright |
| 7 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 8 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 9 | 5.8 | Bright |
| 10 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 11 | 5.7 | Bright |
| 12 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 13 | 5.6 | Bright |
| 14 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 15 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 16 | 5.5 | Bright |
| 17 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 18 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 19 | 5.4 | Bright |
| 20 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 21 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 22 | 5.3 | Bright |
| 23 | 5.2 | Bright |
| 24 | 5.2 | Bright |
| 25 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 26 | 5.1 | Bright |
| 27 | 5.0 | Bright |
| 28 | 5.0 | Bright |
Is February a good time to visit Wanaka?
Our two travel scores rate February for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).
February is a reasonable time to visit Wanaka for sightseeing.
What to pack for Wanaka in February
From February's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In February, Wanaka sees daytime highs around 18°C and nights near 9°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 9 days see rain.
UV index in Wanaka in February
Clear-sky midday UV in February peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Wanaka peaks around January 15 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 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Low | Low | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Extreme |
| Feb | 9 | Very high |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 3 | Moderate |
| May | 2 | Low |
| Jun | 1 | Low |
| Jul | 2 | Low |
| Aug | 2 | Moderate |
| Sep | 5 | Moderate |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 10 | Very high |
Where is Wanaka?
Wanaka sits at 44.7°S, 169.2°E, 0 m above sea level, in New Zealand. The nearest listed city is Queenstown, 53 km away.
Topography around Wanaka
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Wanaka.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Wanaka has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 258 m around an average of 325 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,573 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,837 m.
The land around Wanaka is covered by grassland (49%) and trees (23%) within 3 km, grassland (64%) within 16 km, and grassland (68%) and trees (20%) 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 Wanaka (-44.7°, 169.15°, 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. 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).