Kaikoura Weather Forecast
Kaikoura weather: 61°F, clear sky. Hourly forecast, 14-day outlook, UV, air quality and the best time to visit.
Summary
Kaikoura is a city in Canterbury. Kaikoura is known for whale watching where mountains meet sea. It has a population of about 2.200.
Right now it is 61°F (16°C) in Kaikoura with clear sky. It feels like 64°F. Today runs from 47°F to 63°F. Chance of precipitation is 0%. Sightseeing conditions score 7.9/10 - good conditions.
The best time to visit Kaikoura is February, March, September and November. The climate is temperate. April, June and July tend to be the least comfortable months. February is the warmest month with average highs near 69°F, while August is the coldest with lows near 42°F.
The closest major airport is Queenstown Airport (ZQN), about 306 mi away. Nearby highlights include South Island, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Tongariro National Park.
In plain terms. Today is about average for October. The forecast high of 63°F is in line with the 62°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 1 PM to 4 PM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. running is the strongest bet in Kaikoura today at 10/10. Visibility is down to 0,9 mi - use low beams and leave extra following distance.
Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.
Weather in Kaikoura right now
Source: Open-Meteo. Updated 3:17 AM, Oct 2 local time.
See the Kaikoura forecast by time range
Next 24 hours
Hour-by-hour temperature, precipitation chance and wind.
16-day forecast for Kaikoura
Daily highs and lows, precipitation and UV.
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Precip | Wind | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 1 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 63° / 47° | 0% | 6 mph | 6 |
| Fri, Oct 2 | ☁️ Overcast | 67° / 52° | 24% | 5 mph | 6 |
| Sat, Oct 3 | 🌦️ Light showers | 58° / 47° | 96% · 0,5 in | 7 mph | 2 |
| Sun, Oct 4 | 🌤️ Mainly clear | 56° / 40° | 0% | 10 mph | 6 |
| Mon, Oct 5 | ☁️ Overcast | 55° / 44° | 2% | 5 mph | 6 |
| Tue, Oct 6 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 63° / 49° | 2% | 5 mph | 7 |
| Wed, Oct 7 | ☁️ Overcast | 64° / 47° | 18% | 4 mph | 7 |
| Thu, Oct 8 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 63° / 54° | 19% | 3 mph | 7 |
| Fri, Oct 9 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 63° / 52° | 22% | 4 mph | 6 |
| Sat, Oct 10 | ☁️ Overcast | 66° / 52° | 19% | 5 mph | 7 |
| Sun, Oct 11 | 🌦️ Light drizzle | 70° / 58° | 18% · 0,0 in | 10 mph | 7 |
| Mon, Oct 12 | 🌦️ Drizzle | 61° / 51° | 10% · 0,2 in | 13 mph | 7 |
| Tue, Oct 13 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 72° / 53° | 16% | 3 mph | 7 |
| Wed, Oct 14 | 🌤️ Mainly clear | 73° / 55° | 39% | 4 mph | 6 |
| Thu, Oct 15 | ☁️ Overcast | 61° / 49° | 25% | 6 mph | 2 |
| Fri, Oct 16 | 🌦️ Light rain | 57° / 50° | 29% · 0,6 in | 5 mph | 3 |
Climate in Kaikoura month by month
Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 67° | 56° | 7,4 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| February | 69° | 56° | 4,4 in | ★★★★☆ |
| March | 65° | 53° | 5,1 in | ★★★★☆ |
| April | 63° | 51° | 6,7 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| May | 58° | 46° | 4,3 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| June | 55° | 44° | 5,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| July | 54° | 42° | 6,7 in | ★★☆☆☆ |
| August | 55° | 42° | 3,8 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| September | 58° | 44° | 2,6 in | ★★★★☆ |
| October | 62° | 47° | 4,5 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| November | 65° | 52° | 3,9 in | ★★★★☆ |
| December | 69° | 55° | 6,4 in | ★★★☆☆ |
Climate type: Temperate. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).
Weather map for Kaikoura
Animated model layers. Pick a layer to load it.
Animated layers by Windy. For pin-level detail and nearby places, see the interactive map below.
Air quality and pollen in Kaikoura
Air quality: Open-Meteo (CAMS). US AQI scale.
Sun, twilight and moon
Golden and blue hour are the standard photographic approximation around sunrise and sunset.
Best time to visit Kaikoura
Go in February, March, September and November. These months score highest on comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and useful daylight.
Hardest months: April, June and July - expect the least comfortable mix of heat, cold or rain.
Explore Kaikoura
Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.
Weather for related places
Frequently asked questions
Where is Kaikoura?
Kaikoura is a city in Canterbury. Its coordinates are -42.4, 173.68. It lies in Oceania.
What is the weather like in Kaikoura right now?
It is currently 61°F (16°C) with clear sky. Humidity is 92% and wind is 1 mph.
When is the best time to visit Kaikoura?
February, March, September and November offer the most comfortable conditions in Kaikoura, which has a temperate climate. April, June and July are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Kaikoura in?
Kaikoura observes Pacific/Auckland (UTC+13:00). The local time is 3:17 AM.
How many people live in Kaikoura?
Kaikoura has a population of approximately 2.200.
What is the nearest airport to Kaikoura?
The closest airports are Queenstown Airport (ZQN), 306 mi away.
What are the top things to do in Kaikoura?
Popular options include South Island, Aoraki / Mount Cook and Tongariro National Park.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (cities-supported) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts. |
|---|---|
| Forecast and observations | Open-Meteo (ECMWF and national models). |
| Air quality and pollen | Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo. US AQI scale. |
| Climate averages | ERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, aggregated over 3 years. |
| Method | Scores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown. |
Last updated October 2, 2026 at 3:17 AM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
