January is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua, with average highs near 23.2°C and lows around 14°C (mean 18.6°C). It is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm of rainfall and 72% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Rotorua was 1999 — when the month averaged 20.7°C — while the coldest were 1993 and 1997 at 16.6°C. Typical January days reach 23.2°C with nights near 14°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
January is one of the drier months in Rotorua, averaging 77 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2011 with 276 mm, while the driest was 2013 at 11 mm.
Relative humidity in Rotorua during January averages 72%. The most humid January was 2023 at 84%, and the least humid was 2020 at 65%.
January receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Rotorua. The sunniest January was 2022 at 7.6 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2023 at 4.8.
Average wind speed in Rotorua during January is 1.8 m/s. The windiest January was 1983 at 2.4 m/s, while the calmest were 2004 and 2015 at 1.5 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 18.5°C | 18.2°C | 18.5°C | 18.8°C | 19.1°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg High | 23.2°C | 22.6°C | 23.0°C | 23.5°C | 23.8°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 14.0°C | 13.8°C | 13.9°C | 14.2°C | 14.5°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Rain | 92 mm | 66 mm | 61 mm | 86 mm | 81 mm | -12 mm |
January temperatures in Rotorua have risen by about 0.5°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 6.4°C (1997) to a record high of 32.3°C (1983).
Rainfall in January is one of the drier months, averaging 77 mm, with a wettest year of 276 mm.
One of the best times to visit Rotorua
January is one of the best times to visit Rotorua. Expect days averaging 23.2°C and nights around 14°C (mean 18.6°C) — warmer than Rotorua's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (77 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 | 22.9°C | 18.1°C | 13.4°C | 27.0°C | 10.1°C | 58 mm | 68% | 1.8 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2024 | 24.0°C | 19.8°C | 15.5°C | 27.9°C | 11.0°C | 76 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2023 | 20.3°C | 17.6°C | 14.9°C | 24.3°C | 11.2°C | 267 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2022 | 26.1°C | 20.4°C | 14.7°C | 29.5°C | 11.3°C | 30 mm | 65% | 1.6 m/s | 7.6 |
| 2021 | 24.3°C | 19.3°C | 14.4°C | 30.7°C | 10.2°C | 34 mm | 68% | 1.7 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2020 | 25.0°C | 19.4°C | 13.8°C | 29.7°C | 10.6°C | 20 mm | 65% | 1.8 m/s | 7.3 |
| 2019 | 24.8°C | 20.0°C | 15.3°C | 29.6°C | 11.5°C | 40 mm | 73% | 1.9 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2018 | 24.0°C | 20.4°C | 16.8°C | 28.9°C | 12.6°C | 118 mm | 78% | 1.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2017 | 22.9°C | 17.8°C | 12.6°C | 27.4°C | 9.0°C | 32 mm | 68% | 2.2 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2016 | 24.0°C | 19.6°C | 15.2°C | 28.5°C | 9.9°C | 100 mm | 74% | 1.8 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2015 | 25.0°C | 20.2°C | 15.4°C | 29.1°C | 13.2°C | 28 mm | 69% | 1.5 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2014 | 22.7°C | 17.5°C | 12.4°C | 26.0°C | 8.5°C | 43 mm | 68% | 2 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2013 | 24.0°C | 18.6°C | 13.2°C | 27.4°C | 9.6°C | 11 mm | 65% | 1.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2012 | 21.0°C | 17.2°C | 13.4°C | 24.1°C | 8.4°C | 90 mm | 77% | 1.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2011 🌧️ | 23.7°C | 19.1°C | 14.5°C | 27.1°C | 11.7°C | 276 mm | 73% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2010 | 22.6°C | 17.9°C | 13.2°C | 25.3°C | 8.7°C | 125 mm | 72% | 1.8 m/s | 6 |
| 2009 | 24.6°C | 19.3°C | 14.0°C | 30.1°C | 10.3°C | 33 mm | 68% | 1.6 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2008 | 25.3°C | 20.1°C | 14.9°C | 29.1°C | 10.6°C | 30 mm | 67% | 1.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2007 | 22.3°C | 18.1°C | 13.9°C | 25.6°C | 8.2°C | 104 mm | 76% | 1.7 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2006 | 22.1°C | 18.0°C | 14.0°C | 26.1°C | 9.3°C | 116 mm | 75% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2005 | 22.4°C | 17.9°C | 13.3°C | 26.2°C | 10.4°C | 26 mm | 73% | 1.8 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2004 | 24.2°C | 19.6°C | 14.9°C | 28.8°C | 9.6°C | 62 mm | 73% | 1.5 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2003 | 21.9°C | 17.5°C | 13.1°C | 25.4°C | 7.3°C | 72 mm | 71% | 2 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2002 | 22.4°C | 18.1°C | 13.9°C | 26.8°C | 9.2°C | 78 mm | 73% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2001 | 22.7°C | 17.9°C | 13.1°C | 27.6°C | 9.1°C | 37 mm | 68% | 2 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2000 | 22.3°C | 18.0°C | 13.7°C | 27.2°C | 9.9°C | 56 mm | 73% | 1.7 m/s | 5.8 |
| 1999 🔥 | 25.1°C | 20.7°C | 16.2°C | 29.6°C | 10.9°C | 103 mm | 72% | 1.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1998 | 23.4°C | 18.7°C | 14.0°C | 27.2°C | 7.8°C | 47 mm | 70% | 2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 | 20.8°C | 16.6°C | 12.3°C | 24.0°C | 6.4°C | 49 mm | 72% | 2 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1996 | 22.2°C | 18.5°C | 14.8°C | 25.2°C | 10.6°C | 85 mm | 75% | 1.6 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1995 | 22.4°C | 18.1°C | 13.9°C | 24.9°C | 8.2°C | 69 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 23.4°C | 18.9°C | 14.4°C | 27.7°C | 8.7°C | 53 mm | 71% | 1.8 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 21.2°C | 16.6°C | 11.9°C | 24.3°C | 8.9°C | 53 mm | 73% | 2.1 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1992 | 22.1°C | 17.9°C | 13.7°C | 26.6°C | 7.0°C | 85 mm | 73% | 1.7 m/s | 6 |
| 1991 | 22.6°C | 17.9°C | 13.1°C | 26.5°C | 8.1°C | 57 mm | 72% | 2.2 m/s | 6 |
| 1990 | 23.0°C | 18.5°C | 14.0°C | 27.9°C | 9.7°C | 61 mm | 74% | 1.9 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1989 | 21.3°C | 18.0°C | 14.8°C | 24.2°C | 9.5°C | 212 mm | 81% | 2.1 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1988 | 24.0°C | 18.7°C | 13.5°C | 29.0°C | 10.2°C | 17 mm | 66% | 2 m/s | 7.1 |
| 1987 | 23.7°C | 18.9°C | 14.0°C | 26.8°C | 11.2°C | 84 mm | 70% | 1.9 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1986 | 23.0°C | 19.0°C | 15.0°C | 28.7°C | 8.3°C | 153 mm | 76% | 1.8 m/s | 5.6 |
| 1985 | 24.2°C | 19.5°C | 14.8°C | 28.8°C | 11.2°C | 77 mm | 71% | 1.7 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1984 | 22.4°C | 17.4°C | 12.4°C | 26.4°C | 7.8°C | 88 mm | 68% | 1.7 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 22.5°C | 17.3°C | 12.1°C | 32.3°C | 8.4°C | 46 mm | 66% | 2.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 23.1°C | 18.4°C | 13.7°C | 27.7°C | 9.7°C | 56 mm | 70% | 2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 24.2°C | 19.7°C | 15.3°C | 27.5°C | 10.4°C | 98 mm | 74% | 1.7 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 23.2°C with lows near 14°C (mean 18.6°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 77 mm of rainfall in Rotorua, one of the drier months. The wettest on record was 276 mm in 2011.
The hottest January reached 32.3°C in 1983. The coldest dipped to 6.4°C in 1997.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.5°C. Daytime highs moved from 23.3°C to 23.5°C and overnight lows from 13.7°C to 14.6°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Rotorua and one of the drier months, so plan for around 23.2°C daytime highs and 14°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 11th coolest month in Rotorua, averaging 18.6°C.
For January in Rotorua, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 23.2°C and lows of 14°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 72% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 1.8 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 2.4 m/s (1983).
The wettest January on record was 2011 with 276 mm. On average, January sees 77 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 Rotorua 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.
