August is one of the cooler months of the year in New Plymouth, with average highs near 12.3°C and lows around 7.1°C (mean 9.7°C). It is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 119 mm of rainfall and 87% relative humidity across the period.
August is one of the cooler months of the year in New Plymouth. Across 45 years of records, the warmest Augusts in New Plymouth were 2013 and 2022 — when the month averaged 10.9°C — while the coldest was 2004 at 8.3°C. Typical August days reach 12.3°C with nights near 7.1°C. The long-term August temperature trend is broadly flat.
August is a relatively wet time of year in New Plymouth, averaging 119 mm of rainfall. The wettest August on record was 1992 with 230 mm, while the driest was 2005 at 35 mm.
Relative humidity in New Plymouth during August averages 87%. The most humid August was 2017 at 90%, and the least humid was 2014 at 84%.
August receives about 2.6 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in New Plymouth. The sunniest August was 2005 at 3.1 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2001 at 2.3.
Average wind speed in New Plymouth during August is 4.1 m/s. The windiest Augusts were 1997 and 2019 at 4.9 m/s, while the calmest were 1987 and 2012 at 3.2 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 9.7°C | 9.2°C | 9.8°C | 9.9°C | 10.0°C | +0.3°C |
| Avg High | 12.4°C | 11.6°C | 12.5°C | 12.5°C | 12.5°C | +0.1°C |
| Avg Low | 7.0°C | 6.7°C | 7.2°C | 7.4°C | 7.4°C | +0.4°C |
| Avg Rain | 86 mm | 141 mm | 98 mm | 133 mm | 142 mm | +55 mm |
August temperatures in New Plymouth have risen by about 0.4°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
August has ranged from a record low of 1.1°C (1984) to a record high of 16.3°C (2013).
Rainfall in August is a relatively wet time of year, averaging 119 mm, with a wettest year of 230 mm.
A quieter season to visit New Plymouth
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of February and January tend to be the most comfortable for visiting New Plymouth. That said, August — with days averaging 12.3°C and nights around 7.1°C (mean 9.7°C) and higher rainfall (119 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 | 12.1°C | 9.1°C | 6.1°C | 16.0°C | 2.8°C | 95 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 3 |
| 2024 | 12.7°C | 10.6°C | 8.5°C | 16.2°C | 2.8°C | 159 mm | 88% | 4.3 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2023 | 11.7°C | 9.1°C | 6.5°C | 13.6°C | 2.1°C | 115 mm | 86% | 3.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2022 | 13.2°C | 10.9°C | 8.6°C | 15.9°C | 3.2°C | 219 mm | 89% | 4.4 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2021 | 12.3°C | 9.9°C | 7.4°C | 14.9°C | 3.5°C | 144 mm | 87% | 4.3 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2020 | 12.8°C | 10.1°C | 7.5°C | 14.7°C | 1.7°C | 118 mm | 87% | 3.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2019 | 12.1°C | 10.0°C | 8.0°C | 13.6°C | 1.2°C | 174 mm | 86% | 4.9 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2018 | 12.8°C | 10.3°C | 7.7°C | 15.1°C | 4.8°C | 137 mm | 88% | 3.5 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2017 | 12.8°C | 10.4°C | 7.9°C | 15.1°C | 2.6°C | 213 mm | 90% | 4.1 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2016 | 12.4°C | 9.4°C | 6.4°C | 15.7°C | 2.4°C | 99 mm | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2015 | 11.7°C | 9.3°C | 6.9°C | 15.1°C | 3.0°C | 189 mm | 89% | 4.1 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2014 | 12.5°C | 9.3°C | 6.1°C | 15.3°C | 3.3°C | 94 mm | 84% | 4.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2013 🔥 | 13.4°C | 10.9°C | 8.4°C | 16.3°C | 4.8°C | 86 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2012 | 12.9°C | 10.2°C | 7.5°C | 15.4°C | 3.8°C | 98 mm | 88% | 3.2 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2011 | 11.6°C | 9.1°C | 6.5°C | 15.0°C | 2.1°C | 66 mm | 88% | 3.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2010 | 12.6°C | 10.4°C | 8.2°C | 14.8°C | 4.0°C | 174 mm | 89% | 4.2 m/s | 2.4 |
| 2009 | 13.5°C | 10.7°C | 8.0°C | 15.5°C | 3.7°C | 109 mm | 87% | 4.6 m/s | 2.7 |
| 2008 | 11.8°C | 9.6°C | 7.4°C | 13.9°C | 1.7°C | 215 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2007 | 12.3°C | 9.9°C | 7.6°C | 14.0°C | 3.7°C | 117 mm | 86% | 4.5 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2006 | 11.9°C | 9.3°C | 6.6°C | 14.6°C | 1.4°C | 148 mm | 87% | 4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2005 | 13.4°C | 10.3°C | 7.3°C | 15.3°C | 3.1°C | 35 mm | 87% | 3.3 m/s | 3.1 |
| 2004 ❄️ | 10.9°C | 8.3°C | 5.6°C | 13.4°C | 1.7°C | 83 mm | 85% | 4.6 m/s | 2.8 |
| 2003 | 13.1°C | 10.2°C | 7.3°C | 15.7°C | 3.1°C | 56 mm | 85% | 4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 2002 | 12.4°C | 9.9°C | 7.4°C | 14.9°C | 3.5°C | 76 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 2.5 |
| 2001 | 12.6°C | 10.1°C | 7.7°C | 15.2°C | 4.9°C | 70 mm | 87% | 4.4 m/s | 2.3 |
| 2000 | 12.6°C | 9.9°C | 7.1°C | 14.5°C | 2.5°C | 68 mm | 85% | 3.8 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1999 | 12.2°C | 9.3°C | 6.3°C | 15.2°C | 3.0°C | 107 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1998 | 12.3°C | 9.7°C | 7.0°C | 15.2°C | 1.4°C | 62 mm | 84% | 4.2 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1997 | 11.6°C | 9.0°C | 6.3°C | 14.3°C | 2.2°C | 70 mm | 86% | 4.9 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1996 | 11.3°C | 8.9°C | 6.6°C | 15.2°C | 2.3°C | 168 mm | 87% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1995 | 11.3°C | 8.6°C | 5.9°C | 12.8°C | 2.3°C | 139 mm | 88% | 4.1 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1994 | 11.4°C | 9.3°C | 7.2°C | 13.3°C | 3.2°C | 136 mm | 89% | 4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1993 | 11.3°C | 8.6°C | 5.9°C | 13.8°C | 1.9°C | 140 mm | 86% | 3.7 m/s | 3 |
| 1992 🌧️ | 10.5°C | 8.5°C | 6.5°C | 13.1°C | 1.9°C | 230 mm | 88% | 4.8 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1991 | 12.2°C | 10.1°C | 7.9°C | 15.3°C | 2.9°C | 174 mm | 88% | 4.7 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1990 | 12.3°C | 9.9°C | 7.6°C | 14.3°C | 3.0°C | 184 mm | 87% | 4.4 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1989 | 12.6°C | 9.6°C | 6.7°C | 15.7°C | 1.6°C | 79 mm | 86% | 4.7 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1988 | 12.6°C | 10.1°C | 7.6°C | 15.2°C | 3.8°C | 122 mm | 87% | 4.4 m/s | 2.5 |
| 1987 | 13.5°C | 10.7°C | 8.0°C | 16.1°C | 5.4°C | 52 mm | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 2.8 |
| 1986 | 11.9°C | 8.9°C | 5.9°C | 15.3°C | 1.2°C | 107 mm | 86% | 4.1 m/s | 2.9 |
| 1985 | 12.0°C | 9.2°C | 6.5°C | 13.9°C | 2.4°C | 98 mm | 86% | 4.2 m/s | 2.7 |
| 1984 | 12.7°C | 10.2°C | 7.6°C | 14.8°C | 1.1°C | 81 mm | 86% | 4.6 m/s | 2.6 |
| 1983 | 12.5°C | 9.7°C | 6.9°C | 14.5°C | 2.4°C | 60 mm | 86% | 3.8 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 12.4°C | 9.6°C | 6.8°C | 14.6°C | 1.7°C | 43 mm | 86% | 4 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 11.5°C | 9.0°C | 6.6°C | 13.9°C | 3.1°C | 136 mm | 87% | 4.2 m/s | — |
Actual recorded August data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in August is around 12.3°C with lows near 7.1°C (mean 9.7°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
August averages 119 mm of rainfall in New Plymouth, a relatively wet time of year. The wettest on record was 230 mm in 1992.
The hottest August reached 16.3°C in 2013. The coldest dipped to 1.1°C in 1984.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average August temperatures have risen by about 0.4°C. Daytime highs moved from 12.2°C to 12.4°C and overnight lows from 6.9°C to 7.4°C over the same span.
August is one of the cooler months of the year in New Plymouth and a relatively wet time of year, so plan for around 12.3°C daytime highs and 7.1°C at night.
Not quite — August is the 2nd coolest month in New Plymouth, averaging 9.7°C.
For August in New Plymouth, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 12.3°C and lows of 7.1°C. Bring an umbrella or light rain jacket too.
Relative humidity in August averages 87% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in August is 4.1 m/s. The windiest August on record averaged 4.9 m/s (1997).
The wettest August on record was 1992 with 230 mm. On average, August sees 119 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 New Plymouth 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.
