August is one of the cooler months of the year in Christchurch, with average highs near 11.6°C and lows around 3.1°C (mean 7.4°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 80 mm of rainfall and 87% relative humidity across the period.
August is one of the cooler months of the year in Christchurch. Across 45 years of records, the warmest August in Christchurch was 2013 — when the month averaged 9.2°C — while the coldest was 1992 at 5.6°C. Typical August days reach 11.6°C with nights near 3.1°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.2°C per decade.
August is about average for rainfall in Christchurch, averaging 80 mm of rainfall. The wettest August on record was 1992 with 206 mm, while the driest were 1993 and 2014 at 30 mm.
Relative humidity in Christchurch during August averages 87%. The most humid August was 2012 at 91%, and the least humid was 1982 at 82%.
August receives about 2.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Christchurch. The sunniest August was 1993 at 2.8 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1992 and 2010 at 2.1.
Average wind speed in Christchurch during August is 2.5 m/s. The windiest Augusts were 1992 and 2004 at 3.2 m/s, while the calmest was 1987 at 1.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 7.3°C | 6.8°C | 7.5°C | 7.6°C | 7.7°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg High | 11.5°C | 11.0°C | 11.8°C | 11.7°C | 12.0°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg Low | 3.1°C | 2.5°C | 3.1°C | 3.5°C | 3.4°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 68 mm | 104 mm | 66 mm | 80 mm | 80 mm | +12 mm |
August temperatures in Christchurch have stayed relatively stable across the record.
August has ranged from a record low of -2.3°C (1998) to a record high of 21.5°C (2005).
Rainfall in August is about average for rainfall, averaging 80 mm, with a wettest year of 206 mm.
A quieter season to visit Christchurch
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of February and January tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Christchurch. That said, August — with days averaging 11.6°C and nights around 3.1°C (mean 7.4°C) and moderate rainfall (80 mm) — can still be rewarding for travellers who don't mind the cooler conditions, and often means fewer crowds.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11.3°C | 6.9°C | 2.5°C | 15.7°C | -0.1°C | 57 mm | 88% | 2.4 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2024 | 12.5°C | 7.8°C | 3.1°C | 18.2°C | -1.8°C | 112 mm | 87% | 2.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2023 | 11.3°C | 6.9°C | 2.5°C | 16.3°C | -0.3°C | 64 mm | 86% | 2.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2022 | 12.2°C | 8.3°C | 4.4°C | 17.6°C | -2.1°C | 99 mm | 89% | 2.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 11.6°C | 7.6°C | 3.7°C | 16.8°C | -1.4°C | 97 mm | 88% | 2.7 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2020 | 13.1°C | 8.8°C | 4.4°C | 17.2°C | 0.4°C | 54 mm | 86% | 2.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2019 | 12.0°C | 7.3°C | 2.6°C | 16.2°C | -1.4°C | 95 mm | 85% | 2.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2018 | 12.3°C | 8.0°C | 3.8°C | 16.7°C | -0.1°C | 59 mm | 89% | 2.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2017 | 12.6°C | 8.4°C | 4.3°C | 16.4°C | -1.4°C | 112 mm | 88% | 2.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2016 | 10.8°C | 6.4°C | 2.0°C | 17.0°C | -1.8°C | 56 mm | 88% | 2.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2015 | 10.8°C | 6.7°C | 2.6°C | 16.5°C | -0.4°C | 107 mm | 89% | 2.3 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2014 | 11.3°C | 7.0°C | 2.8°C | 17.5°C | -1.3°C | 30 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2013 🔥 | 12.9°C | 9.2°C | 5.4°C | 16.2°C | 0.2°C | 62 mm | 88% | 2.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2012 | 11.9°C | 8.3°C | 4.6°C | 17.7°C | 1.3°C | 108 mm | 91% | 2.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2011 | 11.5°C | 6.9°C | 2.2°C | 17.6°C | -1.2°C | 52 mm | 85% | 2.5 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2010 | 11.0°C | 7.6°C | 4.3°C | 15.8°C | -0.9°C | 119 mm | 90% | 2.6 m/s | 2.1 |
| 2009 | 13.4°C | 8.9°C | 4.4°C | 16.8°C | 0.6°C | 85 mm | 85% | 2.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2008 | 10.2°C | 6.4°C | 2.6°C | 15.9°C | -2.0°C | 81 mm | 88% | 2.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2007 | 11.7°C | 7.1°C | 2.6°C | 16.7°C | -1.3°C | 53 mm | 85% | 2.3 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2006 | 11.0°C | 6.8°C | 2.6°C | 17.4°C | -1.3°C | 72 mm | 87% | 2.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 14.2°C | 9.0°C | 3.8°C | 21.5°C | -0.5°C | 32 mm | 84% | 2.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2004 | 9.2°C | 5.7°C | 2.2°C | 14.8°C | -0.8°C | 110 mm | 86% | 3.2 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2003 | 11.4°C | 7.2°C | 3.0°C | 16.8°C | -0.2°C | 48 mm | 87% | 2.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2002 | 12.6°C | 8.1°C | 3.6°C | 17.5°C | -0.3°C | 34 mm | 83% | 2.9 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 12.7°C | 8.1°C | 3.5°C | 16.6°C | -0.5°C | 42 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 11.7°C | 7.4°C | 3.1°C | 16.4°C | -0.6°C | 104 mm | 85% | 2.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1999 | 11.6°C | 7.0°C | 2.4°C | 17.9°C | -1.4°C | 51 mm | 86% | 2.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1998 | 11.3°C | 6.9°C | 2.5°C | 17.1°C | -2.3°C | 51 mm | 83% | 2.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1997 | 10.6°C | 6.8°C | 3.0°C | 16.4°C | -1.1°C | 73 mm | 86% | 2.9 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1996 | 10.4°C | 6.1°C | 1.8°C | 15.2°C | -1.5°C | 67 mm | 86% | 2.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1995 | 10.5°C | 6.4°C | 2.2°C | 16.9°C | -0.7°C | 187 mm | 88% | 2.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1994 | 12.4°C | 7.5°C | 2.7°C | 18.2°C | -0.5°C | 159 mm | 84% | 2.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1993 | 11.0°C | 6.4°C | 1.7°C | 16.5°C | -2.1°C | 30 mm | 84% | 2.4 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1992 ❄️ 🌧️ | 9.3°C | 5.6°C | 1.8°C | 15.4°C | -0.6°C | 206 mm | 88% | 3.2 m/s | 2.1 |
| 1991 | 12.1°C | 7.9°C | 3.7°C | 15.0°C | -0.1°C | 67 mm | 84% | 3 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1990 | 11.0°C | 7.3°C | 3.6°C | 15.6°C | -1.0°C | 151 mm | 87% | 2.8 m/s | 2.2 |
| 1989 | 11.2°C | 7.6°C | 3.9°C | 15.6°C | -1.8°C | 60 mm | 89% | 2.5 m/s | 2.3 |
| 1988 | 12.1°C | 7.4°C | 2.8°C | 16.7°C | -1.4°C | 69 mm | 84% | 2.8 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1987 | 13.0°C | 8.6°C | 4.2°C | 15.4°C | 1.1°C | 51 mm | 88% | 1.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1986 | 9.4°C | 5.8°C | 2.3°C | 16.0°C | -1.7°C | 109 mm | 89% | 2.5 m/s | 2.4 |
| 1985 | 11.6°C | 7.1°C | 2.6°C | 17.0°C | -1.3°C | 75 mm | 85% | 2.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1984 | 12.2°C | 8.0°C | 3.7°C | 17.4°C | -1.1°C | 43 mm | 87% | 3.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1983 | 11.8°C | 7.3°C | 2.8°C | 16.2°C | -0.1°C | 56 mm | 87% | 2.4 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 13.4°C | 8.1°C | 2.7°C | 16.8°C | -1.5°C | 41 mm | 82% | 2.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 9.2°C | 5.9°C | 2.6°C | 13.1°C | -0.9°C | 109 mm | 90% | 2.3 m/s | — |
Actual recorded August data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in August is around 11.6°C with lows near 3.1°C (mean 7.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
August averages 80 mm of rainfall in Christchurch, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 206 mm in 1992.
The hottest August reached 21.5°C in 2005. The coldest dipped to -2.3°C in 1998.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average August temperatures have risen by about 0.2°C. Daytime highs moved from 11.6°C to 11.8°C and overnight lows from 2.9°C to 3.2°C over the same span.
August is one of the cooler months of the year in Christchurch and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 11.6°C daytime highs and 3.1°C at night.
Not quite — August is the 3rd coolest month in Christchurch, averaging 7.4°C.
For August in Christchurch, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 11.6°C and lows of 3.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in August averages 87% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in August is 2.5 m/s. The windiest August on record averaged 3.2 m/s (1992).
The wettest August on record was 1992 with 206 mm. On average, August sees 80 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 Christchurch behaves each August, 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 August specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
