January is one of the warmer months of the year in Queenstown, with average highs near 18°C and lows around 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 100 mm of rainfall and 81% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Queenstown. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Queenstown was 2022 — when the month averaged 16.4°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 10.4°C. Typical January days reach 18°C with nights near 8.3°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.4°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Queenstown, averaging 100 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1987 with 239 mm, while the driest was 2008 at 24 mm.
Relative humidity in Queenstown during January averages 81%. The most humid January was 1987 at 86%, and the least humid was 1981 at 71%.
January receives about 6.2 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Queenstown. The sunniest January was 2023 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1987 and 2007 at 5.3.
Average wind speed in Queenstown during January is 2.3 m/s. The windiest Januarys were 1987 and 1994 at 3 m/s, while the calmest was 1999 at 1.6 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 12.6°C | 12.6°C | 12.9°C | 13.6°C | 14.2°C | +1.6°C |
| Avg High | 17.3°C | 17.5°C | 17.6°C | 18.5°C | 19.3°C | +2°C |
| Avg Low | 7.9°C | 7.8°C | 8.3°C | 8.7°C | 9.0°C | +1.1°C |
| Avg Rain | 128 mm | 112 mm | 95 mm | 82 mm | 74 mm | -54 mm |
January temperatures in Queenstown have risen by about 1.6°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 1.5°C (2000) to a record high of 32.1°C (2018).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 100 mm, with a wettest year of 239 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs rose about 0.5°C per decade while lows rose 0.3°C per decade, widening the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Queenstown
January is one of the best times to visit Queenstown. Expect days averaging 18°C and nights around 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C) — warmer than Queenstown's yearly average — with higher rainfall (100 mm), so conditions are generally comfortable for sightseeing and outdoor plans.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19.7°C | 14.3°C | 8.8°C | 25.4°C | 4.1°C | 42 mm | 79% | 1.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2024 | 18.4°C | 13.8°C | 9.2°C | 23.1°C | 6.3°C | 113 mm | 82% | 2.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2023 | 20.3°C | 14.7°C | 9.2°C | 25.2°C | 6.4°C | 40 mm | 79% | 1.9 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2022 🔥 | 21.8°C | 16.4°C | 10.9°C | 26.4°C | 7.8°C | 60 mm | 79% | 1.8 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2021 | 17.4°C | 12.6°C | 7.9°C | 24.1°C | 2.1°C | 90 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2020 | 18.4°C | 13.4°C | 8.3°C | 27.5°C | 2.3°C | 100 mm | 80% | 2.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2019 | 20.1°C | 14.8°C | 9.5°C | 27.3°C | 5.2°C | 30 mm | 75% | 2.5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2018 | 19.5°C | 14.4°C | 9.3°C | 32.1°C | 4.0°C | 48 mm | 77% | 2.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2017 | 17.2°C | 13.0°C | 8.9°C | 26.2°C | 3.8°C | 83 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2016 | 21.0°C | 15.4°C | 9.8°C | 26.7°C | 6.0°C | 61 mm | 73% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2015 | 17.6°C | 12.7°C | 7.8°C | 24.5°C | 4.4°C | 145 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2014 | 18.6°C | 13.6°C | 8.6°C | 28.5°C | 3.9°C | 85 mm | 80% | 2.3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2013 | 17.5°C | 12.6°C | 7.8°C | 26.7°C | 5.2°C | 88 mm | 81% | 2.4 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2012 | 18.3°C | 13.6°C | 9.0°C | 25.8°C | 4.6°C | 99 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 18.1°C | 13.5°C | 9.0°C | 24.9°C | 3.9°C | 135 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2010 | 17.5°C | 12.6°C | 7.6°C | 26.5°C | 4.7°C | 43 mm | 80% | 2.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2009 | 16.7°C | 12.2°C | 7.8°C | 27.2°C | 3.9°C | 105 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2008 | 19.1°C | 13.6°C | 8.1°C | 25.9°C | 4.1°C | 24 mm | 76% | 2.2 m/s | 7 |
| 2007 | 17.9°C | 13.5°C | 9.0°C | 25.9°C | 4.9°C | 157 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2006 | 17.9°C | 13.0°C | 8.1°C | 26.4°C | 4.9°C | 55 mm | 83% | 2.2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2005 | 17.0°C | 12.9°C | 8.8°C | 25.3°C | 5.4°C | 89 mm | 84% | 2.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2004 | 14.9°C | 11.2°C | 7.6°C | 21.1°C | 1.5°C | 194 mm | 85% | 2.6 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2003 | 18.0°C | 13.4°C | 8.8°C | 27.3°C | 6.5°C | 85 mm | 82% | 2.4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2002 | 17.3°C | 12.6°C | 8.0°C | 24.5°C | 3.9°C | 123 mm | 85% | 2.2 m/s | 5.7 |
| 2001 | 19.9°C | 14.4°C | 8.9°C | 25.9°C | 5.0°C | 48 mm | 79% | 2.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2000 | 17.5°C | 12.6°C | 7.8°C | 24.8°C | 1.5°C | 69 mm | 81% | 2.2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1999 | 19.4°C | 13.9°C | 8.4°C | 22.4°C | 5.8°C | 37 mm | 81% | 1.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 1998 | 18.7°C | 13.6°C | 8.5°C | 25.9°C | 5.8°C | 46 mm | 82% | 2.1 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1997 | 18.9°C | 13.4°C | 7.9°C | 27.1°C | 3.8°C | 115 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1996 | 18.3°C | 13.3°C | 8.3°C | 24.7°C | 3.0°C | 163 mm | 83% | 2.4 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1995 | 19.3°C | 13.9°C | 8.5°C | 25.2°C | 2.1°C | 96 mm | 81% | 2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1994 | 14.7°C | 10.6°C | 6.5°C | 24.7°C | 1.8°C | 184 mm | 85% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1993 | 17.3°C | 12.7°C | 8.2°C | 24.5°C | 4.4°C | 104 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1992 ❄️ | 14.4°C | 10.4°C | 6.3°C | 22.5°C | 3.2°C | 127 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1991 | 16.6°C | 12.3°C | 8.0°C | 27.4°C | 5.1°C | 124 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1990 | 17.2°C | 12.3°C | 7.5°C | 23.5°C | 3.3°C | 125 mm | 81% | 2.5 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1989 | 18.1°C | 13.1°C | 8.1°C | 25.9°C | 4.1°C | 141 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1988 | 18.5°C | 13.8°C | 9.2°C | 26.9°C | 5.9°C | 72 mm | 81% | 2.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1987 🌧️ | 14.8°C | 10.8°C | 6.7°C | 22.6°C | 3.8°C | 239 mm | 86% | 3 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1986 | 16.9°C | 11.9°C | 6.9°C | 22.5°C | 4.2°C | 125 mm | 82% | 2.2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1985 | 15.9°C | 11.8°C | 7.6°C | 24.4°C | 4.6°C | 167 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1984 | 16.5°C | 12.1°C | 7.8°C | 21.9°C | 4.3°C | 123 mm | 81% | 2.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1983 | 14.8°C | 10.7°C | 6.7°C | 23.9°C | 2.8°C | 137 mm | 83% | 2.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 18.0°C | 13.3°C | 8.6°C | 27.6°C | 4.1°C | 95 mm | 79% | 2.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 22.3°C | 15.9°C | 9.6°C | 30.5°C | 5.7°C | 52 mm | 71% | 2.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 18°C with lows near 8.3°C (mean 13.2°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 100 mm of rainfall in Queenstown, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 239 mm in 1987.
The hottest January reached 32.1°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to 1.5°C in 2000.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 1.6°C. Daytime highs moved from 17.5°C to 19.5°C and overnight lows from 8.1°C to 9.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Queenstown and one of the drier months, so plan for around 18°C daytime highs and 8.3°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 11th coolest month in Queenstown, averaging 13.2°C.
For January in Queenstown, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 18°C and lows of 8.3°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 81% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in January is 2.3 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 3 m/s (1987).
The wettest January on record was 1987 with 239 mm. On average, January sees 100 mm.
All figures are derived from NASA POWER (Prediction Of Worldwide Energy Resources), based on MERRA-2 satellite reanalysis, covering 1981–2025.
Explore how the weather in Queenstown behaves each January, based on 45 years of NASA POWER climate data from 1981 to 2025. This page breaks down average temperatures, rainfall, humidity, wind and solar radiation for January specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
