January is one of the warmer months of the year in Christchurch, with average highs near 23.8°C and lows around 11.5°C (mean 17.7°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 69 mm of rainfall and 66% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Christchurch. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Christchurch was 2018 — when the month averaged 20.3°C — while the coldest was 2025 at 15.3°C. Typical January days reach 23.8°C with nights near 11.5°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is about average for rainfall in Christchurch, averaging 69 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 2018 with 158 mm, while the driest was 1998 at 17 mm.
Relative humidity in Christchurch during January averages 66%. The most humid January was 2025 at 76%, and the least humid was 1981 at 57%.
January receives about 6.4 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Christchurch. The sunniest January was 2024 at 7.2 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2002 and 2016 at 5.2.
Average wind speed in Christchurch during January is 3.2 m/s. The windiest January was 2017 at 4.1 m/s, while the calmest were 1986 and 2018 at 2.7 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 18.1°C | 17.4°C | 17.6°C | 17.7°C | 17.5°C | -0.6°C |
| Avg High | 24.5°C | 23.4°C | 23.8°C | 23.8°C | 23.3°C | -1.2°C |
| Avg Low | 11.7°C | 11.2°C | 11.5°C | 11.6°C | 11.7°C | 0°C |
| Avg Rain | 74 mm | 71 mm | 56 mm | 81 mm | 59 mm | -16 mm |
January temperatures in Christchurch have fallen by about 0.3°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 4.7°C (1995) to a record high of 35.3°C (2004).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 69 mm, with a wettest year of 158 mm.
Daytime highs and overnight lows have shifted differently — highs fell about 0.1°C per decade while lows rose 0.1°C per decade, narrowing the gap between day and night.
One of the best times to visit Christchurch
January is one of the best times to visit Christchurch. Expect days averaging 23.8°C and nights around 11.5°C (mean 17.7°C) — warmer than Christchurch's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (69 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 ❄️ | 20.4°C | 15.3°C | 10.2°C | 29.4°C | 7.2°C | 77 mm | 76% | 3.1 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2024 | 24.9°C | 18.6°C | 12.4°C | 31.4°C | 8.6°C | 79 mm | 66% | 3.2 m/s | 7.2 |
| 2023 | 22.6°C | 17.5°C | 12.4°C | 29.3°C | 8.6°C | 55 mm | 76% | 2.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2022 | 23.8°C | 17.9°C | 11.9°C | 30.7°C | 9.2°C | 37 mm | 71% | 2.8 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2021 | 23.6°C | 17.6°C | 11.6°C | 35.1°C | 8.9°C | 78 mm | 68% | 3.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2020 | 24.6°C | 18.1°C | 11.6°C | 32.2°C | 7.9°C | 28 mm | 66% | 3.1 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2019 | 26.6°C | 19.8°C | 13.1°C | 33.7°C | 9.5°C | 54 mm | 65% | 3.5 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2018 🔥 🌧️ | 26.1°C | 20.3°C | 14.6°C | 35.2°C | 8.8°C | 158 mm | 75% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2017 | 22.4°C | 16.4°C | 10.4°C | 26.9°C | 5.9°C | 114 mm | 66% | 4.1 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2016 | 22.5°C | 17.0°C | 11.5°C | 30.8°C | 7.2°C | 137 mm | 71% | 3.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2015 | 25.0°C | 18.6°C | 12.2°C | 33.3°C | 8.0°C | 32 mm | 65% | 3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2014 | 22.7°C | 16.3°C | 9.9°C | 28.5°C | 6.4°C | 46 mm | 63% | 3.8 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2013 | 24.5°C | 17.8°C | 11.0°C | 31.8°C | 7.5°C | 55 mm | 62% | 3.3 m/s | 7.1 |
| 2012 | 23.2°C | 17.0°C | 10.7°C | 29.3°C | 7.4°C | 66 mm | 63% | 3.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2011 | 22.6°C | 17.0°C | 11.4°C | 29.9°C | 8.1°C | 82 mm | 68% | 3.4 m/s | 6 |
| 2010 | 22.5°C | 16.7°C | 10.9°C | 29.3°C | 7.3°C | 61 mm | 70% | 3.5 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2009 | 25.9°C | 19.1°C | 12.4°C | 33.6°C | 8.3°C | 36 mm | 59% | 2.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2008 | 25.6°C | 18.7°C | 11.8°C | 33.3°C | 7.1°C | 34 mm | 64% | 3 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2007 | 22.6°C | 16.8°C | 10.9°C | 29.5°C | 5.6°C | 44 mm | 71% | 2.9 m/s | 5.4 |
| 2006 | 24.1°C | 17.6°C | 11.1°C | 33.9°C | 6.6°C | 65 mm | 61% | 3.6 m/s | 6.8 |
| 2005 | 23.5°C | 17.5°C | 11.5°C | 30.5°C | 8.1°C | 39 mm | 68% | 3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2004 | 25.6°C | 19.3°C | 13.0°C | 35.3°C | 9.6°C | 63 mm | 63% | 3.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2003 | 23.3°C | 17.5°C | 11.7°C | 30.0°C | 6.6°C | 65 mm | 65% | 3.3 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2002 | 21.5°C | 16.7°C | 11.8°C | 29.5°C | 6.6°C | 110 mm | 75% | 3.1 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2001 | 23.2°C | 16.5°C | 9.9°C | 28.9°C | 7.6°C | 40 mm | 63% | 3 m/s | 6.5 |
| 2000 | 22.2°C | 16.5°C | 10.8°C | 31.5°C | 6.2°C | 67 mm | 69% | 3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1999 | 25.5°C | 19.2°C | 12.9°C | 34.8°C | 10.0°C | 30 mm | 64% | 3.2 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1998 | 25.9°C | 19.1°C | 12.3°C | 33.1°C | 7.9°C | 17 mm | 57% | 3.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1997 | 21.3°C | 15.7°C | 10.0°C | 26.9°C | 7.3°C | 84 mm | 71% | 3.3 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1996 | 22.7°C | 17.3°C | 11.8°C | 29.4°C | 6.1°C | 36 mm | 73% | 3 m/s | 6 |
| 1995 | 23.2°C | 16.9°C | 10.6°C | 30.9°C | 4.7°C | 101 mm | 67% | 3.1 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1994 | 22.6°C | 16.9°C | 11.1°C | 29.2°C | 6.5°C | 109 mm | 69% | 3.3 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1993 | 21.4°C | 15.5°C | 9.5°C | 30.4°C | 6.9°C | 86 mm | 68% | 3.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 23.8°C | 17.4°C | 11.1°C | 28.5°C | 5.8°C | 40 mm | 65% | 2.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1991 | 23.4°C | 17.6°C | 11.8°C | 29.3°C | 6.4°C | 148 mm | 68% | 3.6 m/s | 6 |
| 1990 | 24.4°C | 17.9°C | 11.3°C | 32.6°C | 7.4°C | 55 mm | 64% | 2.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1989 | 24.9°C | 19.0°C | 13.0°C | 30.7°C | 6.9°C | 90 mm | 65% | 2.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1988 | 26.1°C | 18.9°C | 11.7°C | 32.7°C | 5.2°C | 42 mm | 59% | 3.1 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1987 | 23.9°C | 17.7°C | 11.5°C | 29.9°C | 7.6°C | 124 mm | 69% | 2.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1986 | 24.9°C | 19.0°C | 13.0°C | 31.5°C | 6.9°C | 79 mm | 69% | 2.7 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1985 | 25.1°C | 18.8°C | 12.5°C | 32.5°C | 8.3°C | 46 mm | 63% | 3.3 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1984 | 21.3°C | 15.5°C | 9.8°C | 28.8°C | 7.9°C | 93 mm | 67% | 3.4 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1983 | 23.2°C | 16.7°C | 10.1°C | 30.8°C | 6.9°C | 55 mm | 59% | 3.9 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 23.8°C | 17.5°C | 11.1°C | 31.8°C | 7.1°C | 119 mm | 64% | 3.7 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 27.0°C | 19.9°C | 12.7°C | 34.8°C | 8.6°C | 22 mm | 57% | 3.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 23.8°C with lows near 11.5°C (mean 17.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 69 mm of rainfall in Christchurch, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 158 mm in 2018.
The hottest January reached 35.3°C in 2004. The coldest dipped to 4.7°C in 1995.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have fallen by about 0.3°C — but days and nights have moved in opposite directions. Overnight lows rose from 11.2°C to 11.7°C while daytime highs eased from 24.1°C to 23.1°C, narrowing the gap between day and night.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Christchurch and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 23.8°C daytime highs and 11.5°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 12th coolest month in Christchurch, averaging 17.7°C.
For January in Christchurch, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 23.8°C and lows of 11.5°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 66% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.2 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 4.1 m/s (2017).
The wettest January on record was 2018 with 158 mm. On average, January sees 69 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 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.
