October is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru, with average highs near 13.7°C and lows around 7.9°C (mean 10.8°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 63 mm of rainfall and 77% relative humidity across the period.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru. Across 45 years of records, the warmest October in Timaru was 1999 — when the month averaged 12.1°C — while the coldest was 2009 at 9.3°C. Typical October days reach 13.7°C with nights near 7.9°C. The long-term October temperature trend is broadly flat.
October is about average for rainfall in Timaru, averaging 63 mm of rainfall. The wettest October on record was 1996 with 116 mm, while the driest was 1994 at 24 mm.
Relative humidity in Timaru during October averages 77%. The most humid October was 1986 at 83%, and the least humid was 2007 at 71%.
October receives about 4.9 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Timaru. The sunniest October was 2015 at 5.5 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest were 1992, 1998 and 2001 at 4.2.
Average wind speed in Timaru during October is 3.8 m/s. The windiest October was 2007 at 5 m/s, while the calmest was 1983 at 3 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 10.8°C | 10.8°C | 10.5°C | 11.0°C | 11.3°C | +0.5°C |
| Avg High | 13.6°C | 13.7°C | 13.4°C | 14.0°C | 14.2°C | +0.6°C |
| Avg Low | 8.1°C | 7.8°C | 7.6°C | 8.0°C | 8.3°C | +0.2°C |
| Avg Rain | 80 mm | 65 mm | 53 mm | 58 mm | 58 mm | -22 mm |
October temperatures in Timaru have risen by about 0.7°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
October has ranged from a record low of 3.3°C (2003) to a record high of 22.4°C (2018).
Rainfall in October is about average for rainfall, averaging 63 mm, with a wettest year of 116 mm.
A good time to visit Timaru
October is a good time to visit Timaru, with days averaging 13.7°C and nights around 7.9°C (mean 10.8°C, close to Timaru's yearly average) and moderate rainfall. February and January are marginally more temperate, but October still suits most travellers.
| Year | Avg High | Avg Temp | Avg Low | Hottest Day | Coldest Day | Rainfall | Humidity | Wind | Solar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14.5°C | 11.3°C | 8.1°C | 20.4°C | 3.3°C | 73 mm | 72% | 4.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2024 | 13.8°C | 11.1°C | 8.5°C | 18.7°C | 5.3°C | 101 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2023 | 14.6°C | 11.4°C | 8.1°C | 18.3°C | 4.7°C | 30 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 2022 | 13.3°C | 10.5°C | 7.7°C | 19.7°C | 3.4°C | 55 mm | 78% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 2021 | 14.0°C | 11.5°C | 8.9°C | 18.1°C | 5.2°C | 48 mm | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2020 | 14.9°C | 11.7°C | 8.5°C | 21.0°C | 5.1°C | 41 mm | 75% | 3.8 m/s | 4.8 |
| 2019 | 13.3°C | 10.5°C | 7.7°C | 19.6°C | 4.8°C | 75 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2018 | 14.3°C | 11.3°C | 8.3°C | 22.4°C | 3.5°C | 65 mm | 77% | 3.2 m/s | 5 |
| 2017 | 14.5°C | 11.6°C | 8.7°C | 19.4°C | 6.6°C | 43 mm | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 5 |
| 2016 | 13.8°C | 11.2°C | 8.5°C | 18.5°C | 6.0°C | 89 mm | 79% | 3.3 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2015 | 15.2°C | 11.6°C | 8.1°C | 18.3°C | 5.6°C | 28 mm | 72% | 4 m/s | 5.5 |
| 2014 | 14.1°C | 10.9°C | 7.7°C | 20.2°C | 5.3°C | 38 mm | 74% | 3.9 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2013 | 14.7°C | 11.5°C | 8.2°C | 20.2°C | 4.3°C | 59 mm | 75% | 4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2012 | 13.4°C | 10.4°C | 7.5°C | 19.7°C | 4.6°C | 81 mm | 75% | 4.3 m/s | 4.9 |
| 2011 | 12.6°C | 10.1°C | 7.7°C | 19.4°C | 5.5°C | 76 mm | 80% | 3.7 m/s | 4.6 |
| 2010 | 13.9°C | 10.7°C | 7.5°C | 18.7°C | 4.9°C | 28 mm | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2009 ❄️ | 12.1°C | 9.3°C | 6.4°C | 15.9°C | 4.1°C | 48 mm | 77% | 3.8 m/s | 5 |
| 2008 | 14.2°C | 10.9°C | 7.6°C | 20.3°C | 5.6°C | 31 mm | 73% | 3.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2007 | 13.4°C | 10.3°C | 7.1°C | 18.4°C | 4.2°C | 56 mm | 71% | 5 m/s | 5 |
| 2006 | 13.6°C | 10.5°C | 7.4°C | 19.2°C | 4.7°C | 57 mm | 73% | 4.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2005 | 12.9°C | 10.6°C | 8.3°C | 17.5°C | 4.3°C | 80 mm | 80% | 3.4 m/s | 4.7 |
| 2004 | 12.8°C | 10.1°C | 7.5°C | 17.9°C | 4.7°C | 59 mm | 77% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 2003 | 13.4°C | 10.4°C | 7.5°C | 18.4°C | 3.3°C | 51 mm | 77% | 3.9 m/s | 5.1 |
| 2002 | 13.0°C | 10.0°C | 6.9°C | 18.1°C | 4.0°C | 55 mm | 73% | 3.7 m/s | 5.2 |
| 2001 | 14.4°C | 11.7°C | 9.0°C | 20.9°C | 6.1°C | 50 mm | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 2000 | 14.0°C | 11.0°C | 8.0°C | 18.2°C | 4.1°C | 39 mm | 76% | 4.2 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1999 🔥 | 15.1°C | 12.1°C | 9.2°C | 20.8°C | 4.6°C | 36 mm | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 4.5 |
| 1998 | 14.0°C | 11.1°C | 8.2°C | 20.2°C | 5.5°C | 66 mm | 75% | 4.3 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1997 | 15.2°C | 11.6°C | 7.9°C | 19.2°C | 3.9°C | 43 mm | 72% | 3.8 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1996 🌧️ | 14.3°C | 11.4°C | 8.4°C | 18.7°C | 4.2°C | 116 mm | 76% | 3.8 m/s | 4.7 |
| 1995 | 12.3°C | 9.7°C | 7.1°C | 15.6°C | 3.7°C | 57 mm | 81% | 3.7 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1994 | 12.5°C | 9.7°C | 6.9°C | 17.1°C | 3.6°C | 24 mm | 79% | 3.7 m/s | 5 |
| 1993 | 14.4°C | 11.4°C | 8.3°C | 17.7°C | 5.0°C | 64 mm | 76% | 4 m/s | 5.3 |
| 1992 | 11.9°C | 9.5°C | 7.1°C | 17.2°C | 4.0°C | 98 mm | 82% | 3.5 m/s | 4.2 |
| 1991 | 13.5°C | 10.5°C | 7.4°C | 17.2°C | 4.7°C | 46 mm | 76% | 3.9 m/s | 4.8 |
| 1990 | 13.6°C | 10.6°C | 7.7°C | 18.1°C | 3.5°C | 101 mm | 79% | 3.4 m/s | 4.9 |
| 1989 | 14.1°C | 11.5°C | 9.0°C | 18.7°C | 5.7°C | 106 mm | 80% | 3.8 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1988 | 14.5°C | 11.5°C | 8.4°C | 16.8°C | 6.1°C | 63 mm | 73% | 4.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1987 | 13.6°C | 10.9°C | 8.2°C | 18.0°C | 4.3°C | 86 mm | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1986 | 13.1°C | 10.8°C | 8.6°C | 17.9°C | 6.1°C | 88 mm | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 4.6 |
| 1985 | 13.1°C | 10.3°C | 7.5°C | 18.7°C | 5.3°C | 45 mm | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 5 |
| 1984 | 13.7°C | 10.8°C | 7.9°C | 18.5°C | 4.5°C | 77 mm | 77% | 3.7 m/s | 5.1 |
| 1983 | 13.2°C | 10.6°C | 7.9°C | 18.1°C | 5.1°C | 81 mm | 82% | 3 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.4°C | 9.5°C | 6.7°C | 17.7°C | 4.6°C | 109 mm | 76% | 4.5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 14.3°C | 11.4°C | 8.4°C | 19.0°C | 6.3°C | 63 mm | 77% | 3.6 m/s | — |
Actual recorded October data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in October is around 13.7°C with lows near 7.9°C (mean 10.8°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
October averages 63 mm of rainfall in Timaru, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 116 mm in 1996.
The hottest October reached 22.4°C in 2018. The coldest dipped to 3.3°C in 2003.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average October temperatures have risen by about 0.7°C. Daytime highs moved from 13.3°C to 14°C and overnight lows from 7.7°C to 8.3°C over the same span.
October is one of the cooler months of the year in Timaru and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 13.7°C daytime highs and 7.9°C at night.
Not quite — October is the 6th coolest month in Timaru, averaging 10.8°C.
For October in Timaru, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 13.7°C and lows of 7.9°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in October averages 77% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in October is 3.8 m/s. The windiest October on record averaged 5 m/s (2007).
The wettest October on record was 1996 with 116 mm. On average, October sees 63 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 October, 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 October specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
