Wellington climate — normals and trends

Q: What is the climate of Wellington?

Wellington has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 719 mm of precipitation per year.

Q: What is the hottest day ever recorded in Wellington?

The hottest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 30 December 2015, reaching 40.2 °C.

Q: What is the coldest day in Wellington?

The coldest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 2 August 1975, at -4.1 °C.

Q: Does it snow in Wellington?

Almost never: Wellington sees virtually no snow, with about 2 frost days per year.

Q: Has the climate of Wellington warmed?

Yes: Wellington warmed by +1.4 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

Q: What is the wettest day in Wellington?

The wettest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 11 July 2024, with 90 mm of rain in 24 hours.

Q: What was the windiest day in Wellington?

The windiest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 2 December 1943, with winds reaching 45.5 km/h.

Q: What is the warmest month in Wellington?

The warmest month in Wellington is January (21.4 °C on average); the coldest is July (9.9 °C).

Q: How much does it rain in Wellington?

Wellington receives on average 719 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 79 rainy days.

Q: Is it sunny in Wellington?

Wellington gets on average 10.9 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,979 hours per year over 1940-2025.

Wellington (South Africa) has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Csb) under the Köppen-Geiger classification. Its mean annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 719 mm of precipitation per year.

These figures are normals computed over 86 complete calendar years, from 1940 to 2025, using ERA5 reanalysis data from the Copernicus programme.

The warmest month is January (21.4 °C on average) and the coldest is July (9.9 °C). Rainfall peaks in June.

Wellington averages 2 frost days, 40 hot days (≥ 30 °C) and 79 rainy days per year.

Wellington has warmed by +1.4 °C between 1940 and 2025, or +0.17 °C per decade. This trend is statistically significant.

The number of frost days there went from about 3 to 1 per year over the period.

The hottest day of the period reached 40.2 °C (on 30 December 2015) and the coldest -4.1 °C (on 2 August 1975).

Data from ERA5 reanalysis (Copernicus Climate Change Service), redistributed under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. Normals are recomputed whenever the archive is updated.

Climate normals · ERA5

WellingtonWestern Cape

coords: -33.64°, 19.01°
period: 1940–2025 · 86 yrs

CsbWarm-summer MediterraneanWarmest monthJanuaryColdest monthJulyWettest monthJuneDriest monthFebruary

Mean daily temperature

15.7°C

Average daily high

21.9°C

Average daily low

10.6°C

Annual rainfall

719mm

Sunshine / day

10.9h

Mean relative humidity

69%

Average peak wind

13.8km/h

Seasonal range

11.5°C

Frost days (< 0 °C)

2 d/yr

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

40 d/yr

Rainy days (≥ 1 mm)

79 d/yr

Annual snowfall

0.1 cm

Average feels-like high

21.5 °C

Average feels-like low

9.1 °C

Average peak gust

40.9 km/h

Tropical nights (≥ 20 °C)

3 d/yr

Solar radiation

19.3 MJ/m²

Has the climate changed?

One stripe per year, 1940 to 2025

+1.4 °C

since 1940

+0.2 °C per decade · r² = 0.47 · p = < 0.001

19402025

Trend fitted by linear regression (ordinary least squares) on annual means. A trend is shown only when it is statistically significant (p < 0.05).

A climograph overlays rainfall (bars) and temperature (line): the standard reading in climatology, where you can see at a glance whether the warm season is also the dry one.

Records for the period

Hottest day

40.2 °C

30 December 2015

Coldest day

-4.1 °C

2 August 1975

Wettest day

90 mm

11 July 2024

Windiest day

45.5 km/h

2 December 1943

Strongest gust

135.7 km/h

15 May 1984

Hottest feels-like

42.8 °C

22 January 2022

Coldest feels-like

-7.9 °C

2 August 1975

Snowiest day

2.2 cm

20 August 2003

Sunniest day

14.1 h

12 December 2017

Year	Hottest day	Coldest day	Annual mean	Rainfall	Hot days	Frost days
2025	36.6 °C19 March 2025	-0.1 °C12 July 2025	16.6 °C	581 mm	59	1
2024	37.9 °C28 February 2024	-1.0 °C29 August 2024	16.5 °C	1,001 mm	47	3
2023	36.4 °C11 February 2023	-1.1 °C25 July 2023	15.9 °C	1,012 mm	43	2
2022	38.5 °C22 January 2022	-0.3 °C21 July 2022	16.6 °C	591 mm	55	2
2021	36.6 °C28 February 2021	0.0 °C23 July 2021	16.2 °C	827 mm	43	0
2020	37.7 °C25 February 2020	0.1 °C30 August 2020	16.4 °C	777 mm	50	0
2019	38.0 °C7 February 2019	0.2 °C16 June 2019	16.7 °C	663 mm	47	0
2018	37.8 °C5 February 2018	-0.5 °C20 September 2018	16.5 °C	793 mm	58	3
2017	38.1 °C20 March 2017	0.2 °C27 July 2017	16.5 °C	519 mm	70	0
2016	38.1 °C4 January 2016	-2.2 °C7 July 2016	16.8 °C	698 mm	64	3
2015	40.2 °C30 December 2015	-1.1 °C15 July 2015	16.7 °C	527 mm	51	1
2014	36.9 °C16 February 2014	-1.4 °C7 July 2014	16.3 °C	869 mm	44	2
2013	38.8 °C4 March 2013	0.3 °C23 August 2013	15.8 °C	1,185 mm	49	0
2012	38.1 °C16 January 2012	0.2 °C5 July 2012	15.9 °C	828 mm	53	0
2011	38.3 °C5 January 2011	0.6 °C6 August 2011	15.9 °C	731 mm	45	0
2010	39.6 °C7 March 2010	-0.2 °C7 July 2010	15.9 °C	720 mm	37	1
2009	38.0 °C5 March 2009	0.9 °C24 July 2009	16.0 °C	913 mm	36	0
2008	37.8 °C7 December 2008	0.7 °C11 July 2008	15.8 °C	971 mm	43	0
2007	38.7 °C25 January 2007	0.6 °C13 June 2007	15.8 °C	914 mm	39	0
2006	36.7 °C6 March 2006	1.0 °C23 June 2006	16.1 °C	698 mm	40	0
2005	37.6 °C6 February 2005	0.1 °C10 June 2005	16.1 °C	794 mm	47	0
2004	38.2 °C4 January 2004	-0.8 °C28 June 2004	16.4 °C	652 mm	42	1
2003	39.6 °C10 February 2003	-2.5 °C21 August 2003	15.8 °C	596 mm	46	2
2002	36.9 °C6 December 2002	-0.7 °C31 July 2002	15.8 °C	866 mm	41	1
2001	37.3 °C28 February 2001	0.5 °C6 July 2001	16.2 °C	997 mm	44	0
2000	39.6 °C19 January 2000	0.2 °C16 July 2000	16.4 °C	614 mm	40	0
1999	37.2 °C28 March 1999	0.7 °C24 July 1999	16.9 °C	682 mm	66	0
1998	38.6 °C3 January 1998	-0.7 °C23 July 1998	15.7 °C	779 mm	40	2
1997	34.2 °C5 January 1997	-0.3 °C26 July 1997	15.5 °C	643 mm	34	2
1996	36.8 °C5 February 1996	-1.2 °C17 July 1996	14.9 °C	1,128 mm	37	6
1995	38.1 °C4 February 1995	-1.7 °C4 July 1995	15.6 °C	755 mm	41	3
1994	38.5 °C25 February 1994	0.2 °C11 July 1994	16.1 °C	816 mm	53	0
1993	39.5 °C4 January 1993	-0.5 °C19 July 1993	16.2 °C	881 mm	50	1
1992	38.5 °C4 January 1992	-0.5 °C9 August 1992	15.3 °C	1,009 mm	29	1
1991	36.7 °C11 February 1991	-1.0 °C19 August 1991	15.8 °C	933 mm	35	3
1990	37.1 °C7 February 1990	-1.2 °C24 June 1990	15.7 °C	790 mm	51	2
1989	36.6 °C17 December 1989	-2.4 °C17 August 1989	15.5 °C	868 mm	31	4
1988	37.6 °C10 February 1988	-1.7 °C17 June 1988	15.8 °C	705 mm	39	3
1987	34.0 °C21 December 1987	0.9 °C6 June 1987	15.5 °C	939 mm	20	0
1986	37.9 °C18 February 1986	-1.7 °C3 July 1986	15.9 °C	893 mm	37	1
1985	37.7 °C19 November 1985	0.4 °C7 July 1985	15.9 °C	930 mm	41	0
1984	36.6 °C16 March 1984	-0.8 °C26 August 1984	15.8 °C	936 mm	47	1
1983	34.3 °C7 January 1983	-1.1 °C8 August 1983	15.3 °C	954 mm	35	6
1982	35.7 °C9 March 1982	-1.6 °C30 July 1982	15.2 °C	665 mm	23	5
1981	36.4 °C15 April 1981	-1.9 °C16 June 1981	15.4 °C	806 mm	36	5
1980	36.1 °C4 February 1980	-1.5 °C2 July 1980	15.9 °C	797 mm	38	2
1979	39.0 °C23 January 1979	0.2 °C13 June 1979	15.6 °C	761 mm	36	0
1978	35.9 °C27 February 1978	0.3 °C21 June 1978	15.7 °C	573 mm	44	0
1977	37.0 °C26 February 1977	0.1 °C30 July 1977	15.6 °C	1,166 mm	36	0
1976	37.1 °C24 January 1976	-0.8 °C16 July 1976	15.5 °C	962 mm	41	1
1975	39.1 °C17 February 1975	-4.1 °C2 August 1975	15.4 °C	754 mm	48	2
1974	38.2 °C11 February 1974	-0.7 °C8 September 1974	15.8 °C	857 mm	50	2
1973	34.7 °C8 February 1973	0.0 °C28 July 1973	15.9 °C	618 mm	46	0
1972	39.8 °C12 November 1972	-1.1 °C26 June 1972	15.9 °C	525 mm	48	2
1971	36.3 °C23 February 1971	-1.1 °C7 September 1971	15.1 °C	587 mm	33	4
1970	35.6 °C7 January 1970	-2.5 °C10 August 1970	14.9 °C	709 mm	36	8
1969	37.5 °C22 March 1969	-1.0 °C1 September 1969	14.9 °C	742 mm	26	4
1968	37.5 °C5 February 1968	-1.9 °C9 August 1968	14.6 °C	841 mm	23	4
1967	35.3 °C4 March 1967	-1.0 °C21 July 1967	15.0 °C	591 mm	35	5
1966	38.8 °C29 January 1966	-0.2 °C7 July 1966	15.0 °C	531 mm	33	1
1965	36.7 °C27 January 1965	-1.4 °C20 June 1965	14.5 °C	723 mm	16	5
1964	35.0 °C9 March 1964	-1.6 °C25 July 1964	14.6 °C	627 mm	21	5
1963	37.6 °C1 January 1963	0.5 °C26 July 1963	15.7 °C	624 mm	35	0
1962	36.0 °C6 April 1962	-0.3 °C14 June 1962	14.9 °C	844 mm	27	1
1961	36.9 °C25 January 1961	-1.7 °C6 August 1961	14.9 °C	681 mm	33	1
1960	38.6 °C13 December 1960	-0.6 °C19 July 1960	15.3 °C	514 mm	38	2
1959	37.3 °C4 February 1959	-0.3 °C13 September 1959	15.0 °C	530 mm	26	2
1958	35.8 °C30 December 1958	-0.2 °C30 August 1958	14.8 °C	560 mm	30	2
1957	34.8 °C26 December 1957	-2.2 °C3 August 1957	14.5 °C	878 mm	26	1
1956	37.2 °C5 January 1956	-0.2 °C9 June 1956	14.8 °C	626 mm	50	2
1955	38.6 °C17 January 1955	-1.5 °C7 August 1955	14.8 °C	589 mm	39	3
1954	36.7 °C27 January 1954	-1.1 °C22 August 1954	14.6 °C	750 mm	44	3
1953	36.7 °C11 December 1953	-1.1 °C14 August 1953	16.1 °C	273 mm	45	2
1952	37.6 °C14 February 1952	0.7 °C26 July 1952	15.5 °C	509 mm	29	0
1951	38.8 °C31 January 1951	0.3 °C26 July 1951	15.5 °C	445 mm	22	0
1950	36.4 °C5 January 1950	1.8 °C15 June 1950	16.2 °C	300 mm	44	0
1949	37.1 °C15 March 1949	1.4 °C7 September 1949	16.1 °C	316 mm	50	0
1948	39.7 °C18 January 1948	-1.6 °C16 August 1948	15.0 °C	435 mm	40	7
1947	34.5 °C11 March 1947	-1.1 °C29 July 1947	14.8 °C	374 mm	25	2
1946	36.4 °C28 March 1946	-1.8 °C29 July 1946	15.6 °C	364 mm	47	5
1945	38.8 °C28 January 1945	0.2 °C19 July 1945	16.0 °C	409 mm	55	0
1944	37.2 °C14 January 1944	-1.3 °C13 June 1944	14.6 °C	663 mm	20	3
1943	34.4 °C15 February 1943	-1.4 °C21 July 1943	14.8 °C	556 mm	34	6
1942	37.0 °C14 March 1942	-2.7 °C5 August 1942	15.2 °C	573 mm	41	4
1941	37.3 °C30 January 1941	1.3 °C5 September 1941	15.5 °C	585 mm	39	0
1940	38.2 °C2 February 1940	1.1 °C7 July 1940	15.4 °C	651 mm	42	0

Normals computed over complete calendar years 1940–2025.

A specific year

Pick a year and see how it compares to normal — warmer, drier or more extreme than usual?

Year

Across the whole year

Average daily high

23.0 °C

+1.1 °C

Hot days (≥ 30 °C)

59 d/yr

+19

Frost days (< 0 °C)

1 d/yr

-1

Annual rainfall

581 mm

-138 mm

Month by month

	High	vs. normal	Precipitation	vs. normal
Jan	27.7 °C	-0.5 °C	10 mm	-9 mm
Feb	29.1 °C	+0.7 °C	1 mm	-18 mm
Mar	27.6 °C	+0.8 °C	18 mm	-6 mm
Apr	24.8 °C	+1.7 °C	39 mm	-11 mm
May	20.5 °C	+1.4 °C	92 mm	-3 mm
Jun	16.0 °C	-0.4 °C	135 mm	+5 mm
Jul	15.3 °C	-0.3 °C	121 mm	+12 mm
Aug	16.3 °C	+0.1 °C	98 mm	-5 mm
Sep	20.2 °C	+2.1 °C	27 mm	-40 mm
Oct	22.3 °C	+1.3 °C	24 mm	-21 mm
Nov	28.1 °C	+4.2 °C	5 mm	-28 mm
Dec	29.0 °C	+2.7 °C	12 mm	-15 mm

The year's extremes

Hottest day

36.6 °C

19 Mar 2025

Coldest day

-0.1 °C

12 Jul 2025

Wettest day

40.7 mm

25 Jun 2025

Windiest day

26.5 km/h

12 Dec 2025

Strongest gust

85.3 km/h

9 Aug 2025

Hottest feels-like

38.0 °C

28 Jan 2025

Coldest feels-like

-3.5 °C

12 Jul 2025

Sunniest day

14.1 h

15 Dec 2025

What was the weather like that day?

Your birthday, a wedding, a memorable trip: discover the actual weather for any date since 1940.

Date

Frequently asked questions

What is the climate of Wellington?

Wellington has a warm-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb). Over 1940-2025, the average annual temperature is 15.7 °C and it receives 719 mm of precipitation per year.

What is the hottest day ever recorded in Wellington?

The hottest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 30 December 2015, reaching 40.2 °C.

What is the coldest day in Wellington?

The coldest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 2 August 1975, at -4.1 °C.

Does it snow in Wellington?

Almost never: Wellington sees virtually no snow, with about 2 frost days per year.

Has the climate of Wellington warmed?

Yes: Wellington warmed by +1.4 °C between 1940 and 2025, a statistically significant trend.

What is the wettest day in Wellington?

The wettest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 11 July 2024, with 90 mm of rain in 24 hours.

What was the windiest day in Wellington?

The windiest day measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 2 December 1943, with winds reaching 45.5 km/h.

What is the warmest month in Wellington?

The warmest month in Wellington is January (21.4 °C on average); the coldest is July (9.9 °C).

How much does it rain in Wellington?

Wellington receives on average 719 mm of precipitation per year, spread over about 79 rainy days.

Is it sunny in Wellington?

Wellington gets on average 10.9 hours of sunshine per day, roughly 3,979 hours per year over 1940-2025.

What is the biggest single-day snowfall in Wellington?

The heaviest 24-hour snowfall measured in Wellington between 1940 and 2025 was 20 August 2003, with 2.2 cm.

Are there tropical nights in Wellington?

Yes: Wellington has on average 3 tropical nights per year (temperature staying above 20 °C), over 1940-2025.

What was the most extreme apparent temperature in Wellington?

In Wellington, between 1940 and 2025, the highest apparent temperature reached 42.8 °C on 22 January 2022, and the lowest was -7.9 °C on 2 August 1975.

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