North Island New Zealand Weather in December

December is the first official month of summer in New Zealand, so it’s a great time to plan a road trip around the North Island, or to lock in a holiday itinerary.

Contents

Average Temperatures in the North Island in December
Average Sunshine Hours Per day in the North Island in December
Average rainfall in the North Island in December
Best Things to do in the North Island in December

The weather in the North Island in December is, generally, warm, dry, and relatively sunny. This means that it’s a popular time for getting out and about, enjoying New Zealand’s many great beaches, lakes, forests, and walkways. Therefore, combined with the Christmas holiday season, it can be a bit of a busy time, although there are still smaller crowds than in peak summer tourist season. As always, though, the crowds and weather to expect in the North Island during December depends a lot on where you plan to be.

So, to help you plan your perfect North Island escape in December, we’ve broken everything down into what temperatures, how many sunshine hours, and how much rainfall to expect in different parts of the North Island..

Average Temperatures in the North Island in December

Average temperatures across the North Island in December are typically warm, with some regions seeing daily average highs above 23°C (73.4°F), and even the coldest areas rarely dropping below 11°C (51.8°C) or 12°C (53.6°F), even at night.

Of course, with the geographical and climatic diversity within the North Island – from Wellington at the bottom to subtropical Northland at the top, passing the massive Volcanic Plateau in the middle and flanked by the coastal regions – the average temperatures to expect in the North Island in December vary from place to place.

Here’s a breakdown:

Location	Min °C	Max °C	Average °C	Min °F	Max °F	Average °F
Auckland	14.0°C	21.6°C	17.8°C	57.2°F	70.9°F	64.0°F
Wellington	12.2°C	18.5°C	15.4°C	54.0°F	65.3°F	59.7°F
Rotorua	11.5°C	20.8°C	16.2°C	52.7°F	69.4°F	61.2°F
Kaitaia	13.8°C	21.9°C	17.9°C	56.8°F	71.4°F	64.2°F
Taupo	10.5°C	20.7°C	15.6°C	50.9°F	69.3°F	60.1°F
Napier	13.7°C	23.2°C	18.4°C	56.7°F	73.8°F	65.1°F

Average Sunshine Hours Per day in the North Island in December

The sun is out in full force during December for most parts of the North Island. Given that mid-December is also the time of the summer equinox and the longest day of the year, December has the longest daylight hours of the year. This combination makes for ideal conditions for outdoor barbecues, al fresco dining, or simply enjoying being at the beach, on the water, or in the great outdoors for that little bit longer.

Location	Ave Sunshine Hours per month	Ave Sunshine Hours per day	Median Daylight Length (hours)
Auckland	197.2	6.36	14:37
Wellington	222.8	7.19	15:05
Rotorua	215.8	6.96	14:45
Kaitaia	209.9	6.77	14:31
Taupo	204.6	6.60	14:48
Napier	233.7	7.54	14:53

Average rainfall in the North Island in December

Although some areas and cities, such as Taupo and Rotorua, actually see an increase in rainfall from the previous month, for most parts of the North Island December is the start of the year’s driest period. Therefore, average rainfall is typically quite low across the North Island in December, and there are far fewer wet days to be expected than at other times of the year.

Location	Rainfall (mm)	Rainfall (inch)	Relative Humidity	Wet Days
Auckland	92.8	3.65	77.6%	9.3
Wellington	84.4	3.32	80.7	8.8
Rotorua	114.2	4.50	78.9	10.0
Kaitaia	99.6	3.92	85.5	9.6
Taupo	93.6	3.69	77.4	9.2
Napier	53.5	2.11	67.0	6.5

Best Things to do in the North Island in December

Enjoy the Great Outdoors for the holiday season

December is the start of true summer in New Zealand, and kiwis certainly know how to make the most of it by flocking to the country’s many wonderful waterways, beaches, mountains, and other areas of natural beauty to enjoy some active outdoor adventures and/or relaxation time. Whether zip-lining over an ancient native forest in Rotorua, kayaking up to the Coromandel’s iconic Cathedral Cove, or fly fishing among stunning forest-and-mountain landscapes in the Hawke’s Bay, December is a great time to get out and enjoy some activities in New Zealand’s “Great Outdoors”.

Escape to another world at Waitomo Caves

The Earth underneath Waitomo, just a few hours south of Auckland, is home to one of New Zealand’s best-loved natural phenomenons. Here, millions of native glow-worms cling to the walls of an ancient network of limestone caves, lighting up the darkness and revealing a network of underground rivers and caves covered in stalagmites and stalactites. There are several different ways to view the caves, including by boat, on foot, or by bombing down the fast-flowing rapids and waterfalls in a unique "black-water rafting" trip.