February is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury, with average highs near 6.9°C and lows around 3.9°C (mean 5.4°C). It is about average for rainfall, averaging 47 mm of rainfall and 87% relative humidity across the period.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury. Across 45 years of records, the warmest February in Canterbury was 2024 — when the month averaged 8.5°C — while the coldest was 1986 at 0.6°C. Typical February days reach 6.9°C with nights near 3.9°C. The long-term trend is warming, about 0.6°C per decade.
February is about average for rainfall in Canterbury, averaging 47 mm of rainfall. The wettest February on record was 2024 with 110 mm, while the driest was 2023 at 7 mm.
Relative humidity in Canterbury during February averages 87%. The most humid February was 2011 at 92%, and the least humid was 1986 at 79%.
February receives about 1.5 kWh/m²/day of solar energy in Canterbury. The sunniest Februarys were 2008 and 2019 at 1.9 kWh/m²/day, and the cloudiest was 2011 at 1.1.
Average wind speed in Canterbury during February is 5.9 m/s. The windiest February was 1990 at 8.5 m/s, while the calmest was 1993 at 4.4 m/s.
Ranked against the other 11 months using 1981–2025 averages.
| Metric | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg Temp | 3.9°C | 5.5°C | 5.8°C | 5.4°C | 7.0°C | +3.1°C |
| Avg High | 5.3°C | 7.1°C | 7.3°C | 6.8°C | 8.6°C | +3.3°C |
| Avg Low | 2.5°C | 3.9°C | 4.4°C | 4.0°C | 5.4°C | +2.9°C |
| Avg Rain | 36 mm | 42 mm | 53 mm | 49 mm | 60 mm | +24 mm |
February temperatures in Canterbury have risen by about 3.1°C between 1981–1985 and 2021–2025.
February has ranged from a record low of -5°C (1991) to a record high of 12.5°C (1990).
Rainfall in February is about average for rainfall, averaging 47 mm, with a wettest year of 110 mm.
A quieter season to visit Canterbury
If your dates are flexible, the more temperate months of August and July tend to be the most comfortable for visiting Canterbury. That said, February — with days averaging 6.9°C and nights around 3.9°C (mean 5.4°C) and moderate rainfall (47 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 | 7.1°C | 5.9°C | 4.6°C | 11.3°C | 2.4°C | 45 mm | 87% | 5.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2024 🔥 🌧️ | 10.0°C | 8.5°C | 7.0°C | 12.2°C | 4.2°C | 110 mm | 90% | 6 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2023 | 8.6°C | 7.0°C | 5.3°C | 11.3°C | 3.2°C | 7 mm | 88% | 4.6 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2022 | 9.4°C | 7.4°C | 5.3°C | 12.2°C | 2.9°C | 55 mm | 85% | 7.5 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2021 | 6.8°C | 5.5°C | 4.2°C | 10.6°C | -1.1°C | 47 mm | 87% | 6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2020 | 9.4°C | 7.5°C | 5.7°C | 12.4°C | 3.1°C | 94 mm | 86% | 8.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2019 | 8.8°C | 7.1°C | 5.4°C | 12.2°C | 0.3°C | 43 mm | 90% | 5.1 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2018 | 5.4°C | 4.0°C | 2.5°C | 8.7°C | -1.8°C | 44 mm | 81% | 6.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2017 | 7.8°C | 6.5°C | 5.2°C | 12.3°C | 1.7°C | 50 mm | 89% | 5.9 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2016 | 7.8°C | 6.4°C | 5.0°C | 11.9°C | 2.1°C | 39 mm | 82% | 6.6 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2015 | 6.4°C | 4.8°C | 3.2°C | 9.3°C | 0.3°C | 50 mm | 88% | 5.4 m/s | 1.5 |
| 2014 | 8.9°C | 7.3°C | 5.8°C | 11.6°C | 3.8°C | 66 mm | 87% | 7.8 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2013 | 4.9°C | 3.7°C | 2.5°C | 8.6°C | 0.9°C | 38 mm | 85% | 5.8 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2012 | 5.6°C | 4.1°C | 2.7°C | 12.0°C | -1.5°C | 15 mm | 85% | 4.9 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2011 | 7.6°C | 6.3°C | 5.0°C | 10.8°C | 0.4°C | 49 mm | 92% | 5.7 m/s | 1.1 |
| 2010 | 5.1°C | 3.8°C | 2.4°C | 8.4°C | 0.2°C | 99 mm | 88% | 5.5 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2009 | 6.6°C | 4.8°C | 3.1°C | 10.6°C | 0.5°C | 53 mm | 88% | 4.5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2008 | 8.6°C | 6.8°C | 5.0°C | 11.0°C | 2.5°C | 19 mm | 86% | 5.4 m/s | 1.9 |
| 2007 | 8.5°C | 7.1°C | 5.6°C | 10.9°C | 1.3°C | 73 mm | 88% | 5.3 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2006 | 5.6°C | 4.3°C | 3.1°C | 9.5°C | -0.1°C | 56 mm | 87% | 5.7 m/s | 1.3 |
| 2005 | 6.0°C | 4.7°C | 3.5°C | 11.1°C | -0.1°C | 46 mm | 86% | 5.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2004 | 7.4°C | 6.1°C | 4.8°C | 12.5°C | 0.3°C | 31 mm | 85% | 6.2 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2003 | 5.9°C | 4.5°C | 3.0°C | 9.3°C | 0.0°C | 26 mm | 87% | 5.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 2002 | 9.3°C | 7.7°C | 6.1°C | 11.8°C | 2.9°C | 70 mm | 86% | 8.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 2001 | 7.0°C | 5.7°C | 4.3°C | 10.3°C | 0.8°C | 92 mm | 89% | 5.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 2000 | 8.5°C | 6.7°C | 5.0°C | 12.3°C | 2.2°C | 64 mm | 87% | 6.4 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1999 | 6.9°C | 5.5°C | 4.0°C | 10.6°C | 0.7°C | 32 mm | 85% | 6.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1998 | 8.6°C | 6.8°C | 5.0°C | 12.0°C | 0.6°C | 14 mm | 89% | 4.9 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1997 | 7.9°C | 6.2°C | 4.6°C | 11.0°C | 0.5°C | 53 mm | 89% | 7.3 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1996 | 5.0°C | 3.6°C | 2.2°C | 9.6°C | -0.4°C | 47 mm | 84% | 6.4 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1995 | 9.0°C | 7.4°C | 5.8°C | 10.8°C | 2.5°C | 76 mm | 88% | 6.9 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1994 | 6.0°C | 4.5°C | 3.0°C | 9.0°C | -2.5°C | 43 mm | 87% | 5.1 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1993 | 6.1°C | 4.7°C | 3.3°C | 8.7°C | 0.3°C | 22 mm | 89% | 4.4 m/s | 1.3 |
| 1992 | 7.0°C | 5.4°C | 3.7°C | 9.9°C | -0.7°C | 18 mm | 89% | 4.8 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1991 | 4.2°C | 2.8°C | 1.4°C | 10.0°C | -5.0°C | 36 mm | 87% | 5.1 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1990 | 9.8°C | 8.0°C | 6.1°C | 12.5°C | 2.5°C | 76 mm | 86% | 8.5 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1989 | 8.2°C | 6.4°C | 4.6°C | 11.1°C | 2.4°C | 42 mm | 87% | 6.2 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1988 | 7.2°C | 5.4°C | 3.6°C | 9.3°C | 1.6°C | 52 mm | 85% | 7.2 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1987 | 4.9°C | 3.6°C | 2.3°C | 9.7°C | -0.9°C | 33 mm | 89% | 5 m/s | 1.4 |
| 1986 ❄️ | 1.5°C | 0.6°C | -0.2°C | 4.8°C | -3.3°C | 17 mm | 79% | 6.3 m/s | 1.6 |
| 1985 | 3.8°C | 2.4°C | 1.0°C | 10.0°C | -4.2°C | 17 mm | 85% | 5.1 m/s | 1.7 |
| 1984 | 6.2°C | 4.8°C | 3.4°C | 9.5°C | 1.4°C | 43 mm | 84% | 6.1 m/s | 1.5 |
| 1983 | 4.3°C | 3.1°C | 1.9°C | 9.3°C | -0.5°C | 55 mm | 83% | 6.5 m/s | — |
| 1982 | 6.0°C | 4.6°C | 3.3°C | 9.3°C | 0.4°C | 33 mm | 90% | 5 m/s | — |
| 1981 | 5.3°C | 3.9°C | 2.4°C | 9.9°C | 0.4°C | 29 mm | 85% | 5.5 m/s | — |
Actual recorded February data for each year, 1981–2025 — sourced from NASA POWER.
The average high in February is around 6.9°C with lows near 3.9°C (mean 5.4°C), based on 45 years of NASA POWER data.
February averages 47 mm of rainfall in Canterbury, about average for rainfall. The wettest on record was 110 mm in 2024.
The hottest February reached 12.5°C in 1990. The coldest dipped to -5°C in 1991.
Comparing the earliest years on record (1981–1985) with the most recent (2021–2025), average February temperatures have risen by about 3.1°C. Daytime highs moved from 5.1°C to 8.4°C and overnight lows from 2.4°C to 5.3°C over the same span.
February is one of the cooler months of the year in Canterbury and about average for rainfall, so plan for around 6.9°C daytime highs and 3.9°C at night.
Yes — February is the coldest month of the year in Canterbury, averaging 5.4°C.
For February in Canterbury, pack warm layers and a jacket for chilly mornings, with typical highs of 6.9°C and lows of 3.9°C.
Relative humidity in February averages 87% — quite humid.
Average wind speed in February is 5.9 m/s. The windiest February on record averaged 8.5 m/s (1990).
The wettest February on record was 2024 with 110 mm. On average, February sees 47 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 Canterbury behaves each February, 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 February specifically, along with year-by-year records and how the month has changed over the decades.
