January is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru, with average highs near 19°C and lows around 12.7°C (mean 15.9°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm of rainfall and 73% relative humidity across the period.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru. Across 45 years of records, the warmest January in Timaru was 2018 — when the month averaged 18.3°C — while the coldest were 1993 and 2000 at 14.4°C. Typical January days reach 19°C with nights near 12.7°C. The long-term January temperature trend is broadly flat.
January is about average for rainfall in Timaru, averaging 62 mm of rainfall. The wettest January on record was 1988 with 111 mm, while the driest was 1998 at 14 mm.
Relative humidity in Timaru during January averages 73%. The most humid January was 1996 at 81%, and the least humid was 2009 at 67%.
January receives about 6.1 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Timaru. The sunniest January was 2006 at 7 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 2002 and 2016 at 5.1.
Average wind speed in Timaru during January is 3.8 m/s. The windiest January was 2017 at 4.9 m/s, while the calmest was 1989 at 2.9 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 16.0°C | 15.7°C | 15.5°C | 16.0°C | 16.1°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg High | 19.2°C | 18.9°C | 18.5°C | 19.2°C | 19.1°C | -0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 12.9°C | 12.5°C | 12.5°C | 12.7°C | 13.2°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg Rain | 85 mm | 61 mm | 57 mm | 61 mm | 40 mm | -44 mm |
January temperatures in Timaru have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
January has ranged from a record low of 7.4°C (1998) to a record high of 27.7°C (2018).
Rainfall in January is about average for rainfall, averaging 62 mm, with a wettest year of 111 mm.
One of the best times to visit Timaru
January is one of the best times to visit Timaru. Expect days averaging 19°C and nights around 12.7°C (mean 15.9°C) — warmer than Timaru's yearly average — with moderate rainfall (62 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 | 17.2°C | 14.6°C | 11.9°C | 24.0°C | 10.0°C | 53 mm | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 6 |
| 2024 | 20.4°C | 17.1°C | 13.9°C | 26.3°C | 10.3°C | 42 mm | 70% | 3.9 m/s | 6.7 |
| 2023 | 19.0°C | 16.4°C | 13.8°C | 25.4°C | 11.6°C | 30 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2022 | 19.4°C | 16.4°C | 13.4°C | 24.7°C | 10.3°C | 34 mm | 76% | 3.6 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2021 | 19.3°C | 16.2°C | 13.1°C | 26.6°C | 9.1°C | 60 mm | 73% | 4.3 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2020 | 19.4°C | 16.1°C | 12.8°C | 27.2°C | 10.1°C | 23 mm | 73% | 3.7 m/s | 6.2 |
| 2019 | 21.0°C | 17.5°C | 14.0°C | 26.6°C | 10.8°C | 49 mm | 72% | 3.9 m/s | 6 |
| 2018 🔥 | 21.2°C | 18.3°C | 15.4°C | 27.7°C | 9.9°C | 70 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2017 | 18.5°C | 15.2°C | 11.9°C | 23.7°C | 8.4°C | 90 mm | 70% | 4.9 m/s | 6 |
| 2016 | 18.2°C | 15.3°C | 12.4°C | 25.7°C | 8.4°C | 99 mm | 75% | 3.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2015 | 19.6°C | 16.6°C | 13.5°C | 27.3°C | 10.9°C | 29 mm | 73% | 3.8 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2014 | 18.8°C | 15.3°C | 11.8°C | 24.5°C | 8.3°C | 41 mm | 67% | 4.7 m/s | 6.3 |
| 2013 | 19.8°C | 16.2°C | 12.6°C | 26.7°C | 8.0°C | 52 mm | 69% | 3.9 m/s | 6.9 |
| 2012 | 18.7°C | 15.3°C | 12.0°C | 23.0°C | 8.7°C | 58 mm | 70% | 4.1 m/s | 6 |
| 2011 | 18.4°C | 15.4°C | 12.4°C | 23.8°C | 8.7°C | 67 mm | 74% | 4.4 m/s | 5.6 |
| 2010 | 17.6°C | 14.5°C | 11.3°C | 22.4°C | 8.7°C | 55 mm | 76% | 4 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2009 | 20.6°C | 17.2°C | 13.7°C | 26.3°C | 10.5°C | 25 mm | 67% | 3.4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 2008 | 19.9°C | 16.4°C | 12.9°C | 25.6°C | 10.3°C | 36 mm | 72% | 3.5 m/s | 6.6 |
| 2007 | 17.4°C | 14.6°C | 11.9°C | 22.9°C | 7.7°C | 34 mm | 78% | 3.6 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2006 | 19.3°C | 15.8°C | 12.2°C | 24.7°C | 8.9°C | 80 mm | 68% | 4.3 m/s | 7 |
| 2005 | 18.1°C | 15.2°C | 12.2°C | 24.4°C | 8.8°C | 47 mm | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2004 | 19.4°C | 16.4°C | 13.3°C | 26.4°C | 10.1°C | 68 mm | 73% | 3.9 m/s | 6.1 |
| 2003 | 18.5°C | 15.4°C | 12.4°C | 23.5°C | 9.3°C | 63 mm | 72% | 3.9 m/s | 5.8 |
| 2002 | 17.5°C | 15.3°C | 13.1°C | 25.4°C | 10.2°C | 100 mm | 80% | 3.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2001 | 17.8°C | 14.5°C | 11.2°C | 22.5°C | 9.1°C | 39 mm | 71% | 4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 2000 | 17.0°C | 14.4°C | 11.8°C | 25.4°C | 8.5°C | 78 mm | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 5.5 |
| 1999 | 19.8°C | 16.7°C | 13.6°C | 27.2°C | 10.4°C | 20 mm | 73% | 3.6 m/s | 6 |
| 1998 | 20.0°C | 16.5°C | 12.9°C | 26.4°C | 7.4°C | 14 mm | 68% | 4 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1997 | 17.2°C | 14.5°C | 11.7°C | 22.3°C | 8.1°C | 81 mm | 76% | 4.2 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1996 | 18.0°C | 15.4°C | 12.9°C | 24.0°C | 9.2°C | 53 mm | 81% | 3.6 m/s | 5.7 |
| 1995 | 19.1°C | 15.6°C | 12.2°C | 25.1°C | 8.5°C | 61 mm | 72% | 3.6 m/s | 6.2 |
| 1994 | 18.7°C | 15.6°C | 12.5°C | 23.7°C | 10.0°C | 101 mm | 74% | 3.6 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1993 ❄️ | 17.7°C | 14.4°C | 11.0°C | 24.2°C | 8.8°C | 89 mm | 72% | 4.4 m/s | 5.9 |
| 1992 | 18.9°C | 15.8°C | 12.7°C | 22.7°C | 8.8°C | 54 mm | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1991 | 19.5°C | 16.1°C | 12.7°C | 23.7°C | 9.1°C | 92 mm | 72% | 4.1 m/s | 6.1 |
| 1990 | 20.1°C | 16.5°C | 13.0°C | 25.1°C | 10.5°C | 49 mm | 69% | 3.7 m/s | 6.6 |
| 1989 | 19.4°C | 16.5°C | 13.6°C | 26.1°C | 11.2°C | 57 mm | 75% | 2.9 m/s | 6.5 |
| 1988 🌧️ | 19.5°C | 15.8°C | 12.2°C | 24.2°C | 7.9°C | 111 mm | 73% | 3.5 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1987 | 19.8°C | 16.7°C | 13.7°C | 24.8°C | 9.8°C | 108 mm | 73% | 3.4 m/s | 6.7 |
| 1986 | 19.8°C | 17.0°C | 14.2°C | 24.6°C | 9.1°C | 92 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 6.3 |
| 1985 | 19.8°C | 16.7°C | 13.6°C | 25.1°C | 11.9°C | 71 mm | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 6.9 |
| 1984 | 17.7°C | 14.7°C | 11.7°C | 22.6°C | 8.9°C | 93 mm | 73% | 4 m/s | 6.4 |
| 1983 | 18.1°C | 14.8°C | 11.5°C | 24.2°C | 9.4°C | 99 mm | 70% | 4.1 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 18.9°C | 15.7°C | 12.4°C | 24.6°C | 9.0°C | 106 mm | 70% | 4.2 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 20.1°C | 16.5°C | 13.0°C | 26.3°C | 9.7°C | 26 mm | 70% | 3.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded January data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in January is around 19°C with lows near 12.7°C (mean 15.9°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
January averages 62 mm of rainfall in Timaru, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 111 mm in 1988.
The hottest January reached 27.7°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to 7.4°C in 1998.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average January temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 18.9°C to 19.1°C and overnight lows from 12.4°C to 13.2°C over the same span.
January is one of the warmer months of the year in Timaru and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 19°C daytime highs and 12.7°C at night.
Not quite — January is the 11th coolest month in Timaru, averaging 15.9°C.
For January in Timaru, pack light layers you can adjust through the day, with typical highs of 19°C and lows of 12.7°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in January averages 73% — moderately humid.
Average wind speed in January is 3.8 m/s. The windiest January on record averaged 4.9 m/s (2017).
The wettest January on record was 1988 with 111 mm. On average, January sees 62 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 Timaru 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.
