Canterbury Weather Forecast
Canterbury weather: 45°F, heavy drizzle. Hourly forecast, 14-day outlook, UV, air quality and the best time to visit.
Will it rain in Canterbury?
Yes - rain is likely in Canterbury today.
A 100% chance means rain is expected over most of the area. Plan indoor alternatives. Around 0,5 in is forecast, which is enough to soak trails and slow traffic.
Over the next 7 days, about 0,6 in of precipitation is forecast, with the wettest days falling on Thu and Fri.
Rainfall over the next 7 days is close to normal for August (0,6 in against a typical 0,3 in).
16-day forecast for Canterbury
Daily highs and lows, precipitation and UV.
| Day | Conditions | High / Low | Precip | Wind | UV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Aug 27 | 🌦️ Light rain | 52° / 44° | 100% · 0,5 in | 22 mph | 1 |
| Fri, Aug 28 | 🌦️ Light rain | 61° / 49° | 84% · 0,1 in | 20 mph | 4 |
| Sat, Aug 29 | ☁️ Overcast | 61° / 45° | 2% | 8 mph | 4 |
| Sun, Aug 30 | ☁️ Overcast | 63° / 46° | 14% | 18 mph | 4 |
| Mon, Aug 31 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 59° / 39° | 11% | 14 mph | 4 |
| Tue, Sep 1 | ☁️ Overcast | 53° / 46° | 2% | 14 mph | 4 |
| Wed, Sep 2 | ☁️ Overcast | 60° / 41° | 26% | 15 mph | 4 |
| Thu, Sep 3 | ⛅ Partly cloudy | 65° / 53° | 22% | 15 mph | 4 |
| Fri, Sep 4 | ☁️ Overcast | 65° / 49° | 20% | 13 mph | 4 |
| Sat, Sep 5 | 🌦️ Light drizzle | 67° / 55° | 13% · 0,1 in | 19 mph | 4 |
| Sun, Sep 6 | 🌦️ Drizzle | 57° / 48° | 33% · 0,2 in | 15 mph | 4 |
| Mon, Sep 7 | ☁️ Overcast | 56° / 45° | 24% | 14 mph | 2 |
| Tue, Sep 8 | 🌦️ Light drizzle | 51° / 38° | 24% · 0,1 in | 16 mph | 3 |
| Wed, Sep 9 | 🌦️ Light drizzle | 56° / 38° | 25% · 0,1 in | 24 mph | 4 |
| Thu, Sep 10 | 🌦️ Light drizzle | 53° / 42° | 22% · 0,1 in | 19 mph | 4 |
| Fri, Sep 11 | ☀️ Clear sky | -- / -- | 26% | -- | — |
What this means for Canterbury
Today is about average for August. The forecast high of 52°F is in line with the 53°F typical for this month.
A 100% chance means rain is expected over most of the area. Plan indoor alternatives. Around 0,5 in is forecast, which is enough to soak trails and slow traffic.
Visibility is down to 1,8 mi - use low beams and leave extra following distance. Gusts to 44 mph will push high-sided vehicles on exposed roads and bridges. Wet roads are likely; braking distances roughly double in heavy rain.
Southern Hemisphere, so peak summer falls in December to February.
The gap between the warmest and coldest month averages 48°F.
What to pack, what to skip
- A warm mid-layer and gloves for early mornings and evenings
- A packable rain shell - 2 of the next 7 days carry a real chance of rain
- Avoid exposed ridgelines, small boats and rooftop viewpoints while gusts stay above 44 mph.
- If your dates are flexible, avoid June, July and August - historically the least comfortable months here.
See the Canterbury forecast by time range
Canterbury weather - more answers
Explore Canterbury
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 Canterbury?
Canterbury is a region in New Zealand. Its coordinates are -43.5321, 172.6362. It lies in Oceania.
What is the weather like in Canterbury right now?
It is currently 45°F (7°C) with heavy drizzle. Humidity is 96% and wind is 4 mph.
When is the best time to visit Canterbury?
January, February, March, November and December offer the most comfortable conditions in Canterbury, which has a temperate climate. June, July and August are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Canterbury in?
Canterbury observes Pacific/Auckland (UTC+12:00). The local time is 6:08 AM.
How many people live in Canterbury?
Canterbury has a population of approximately 660.000.
What is the nearest airport to Canterbury?
The closest airports are Queenstown Airport (ZQN), 218 mi away.
What are the top things to do in Canterbury?
Popular options include Aoraki / Mount Cook, South Island, Lake Wakatipu, Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand and Milford Sound.
What places are in Canterbury?
Canterbury covers 3 places in this atlas, including Aoraki / Mount Cook, Christchurch and Kaikoura.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (nz-regions) - 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 August 27, 2026 at 6:08 AM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
