Climate Insights for Lake Hawea

Queenstown-Lakes District, Otago, New Zealand

Hottest
January
18°C peak
Coldest
July
-1°C low
Wettest
September
160mm rain
Best to Visit
Varies throughout year

Climate Overview

The climate in Lake Hawea is cool. The average annual temperature is 8°C and approximately 1501mm of precipitation falls per year. Lake Hawea receives a notable amount of rainfall throughout the year, including during its driest month. Lake Hawea is in the Southern Hemisphere. The seasons are reversed — summer runs from December to February, while winter falls between June and August. The summer months are: January, February, December. The coldest months are July, August, June, when temperatures can drop to -1°C. Snowfall occurs from February to November, with around 126cm accumulating over the season.

Temperature

-10° -5° 10° 15° 20° Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Max: 18° Average: 13° Min: 9° Feb Max: 17° Average: 13° Min: 9° Mar Max: 16° Average: 11° Min: 8° Apr Max: 12° Average: 8° Min: 5° May Max: 9° Average: 5° Min: 3° Jun Max: 5° Average: 3° Min: 1° Jul Max: 4° Average: 1° Min: -1° Aug Max: 5° Average: 2° Min: 0° Sep Max: 8° Average: 4° Min: 1° Oct Max: 11° Average: 7° Min: 3° Nov Max: 14° Average: 10° Min: 6° Dec Max: 16° Average: 12° Min: 8°
Max
Average
Min

Lake Hawea sees moderate temperature variation throughout the year, ranging from -1°C to 18°C. January is the warmest month, though highs remain moderate at 18°C with a mean of 13°C. The coldest month is July, when overnight lows fall to -1°C and the daily average is 1°C. Daily temperature variation is modest, with an average difference of 7°C between highs and lows. The sharpest temperature change occurs between March and April, with a 3°C shift in average temperatures.

Precipitation

0mm 50mm 100mm 150mm 200mm Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Precipitation: 114mm Snow: 0mm Feb Precipitation: 108mm Snow: 2mm Mar Precipitation: 108mm Snow: 1mm Apr Precipitation: 123mm Snow: 4mm May Precipitation: 130mm Snow: 9mm Jun Precipitation: 97mm Snow: 17mm Jul Precipitation: 147mm Snow: 26mm Aug Precipitation: 112mm Snow: 19mm Sep Precipitation: 160mm Snow: 22mm Oct Precipitation: 144mm Snow: 17mm Nov Precipitation: 128mm Snow: 9mm Dec Precipitation: 130mm Snow: 0mm
Precipitation
Snow

Lake Hawea is a fairly wet location, receiving approximately 1501mm of precipitation annually, which averages out to around 125mm per month. The wettest month is September, averaging 160mm of rainfall. July and October also tend to see above-average precipitation. The driest month is June, with just 97mm. That's 63mm less than September, the wettest month. Rainfall is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, so there is no pronounced dry or wet season to plan around. Snowfall is a regular feature from February to November, with around 126cm accumulating over the season. July typically sees the most snow at around 26cm.

Wind

0km/h 5km/h 10km/h 15km/h Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Wind Speed: 12km/h Feb Wind Speed: 12km/h Mar Wind Speed: 10km/h Apr Wind Speed: 10km/h May Wind Speed: 9km/h Jun Wind Speed: 7km/h Jul Wind Speed: 7km/h Aug Wind Speed: 7km/h Sep Wind Speed: 10km/h Oct Wind Speed: 12km/h Nov Wind Speed: 12km/h Dec Wind Speed: 12km/h
Wind Speed

Lake Hawea is relatively calm, with an average annual wind speed of 10km/h. For context, sustained winds below 12km/h are generally light, while anything above 25km/h is considered strong. The windiest month is December, averaging 12km/h, though still comfortable for most outdoor activities. The calmest conditions occur in July, with average winds dropping to 7km/h, making it an ideal period for wind-sensitive activities. There is moderate seasonal variation in wind speed, with a 5km/h gap between the calmest and windiest months. Wind tends to pick up during the summer months. The seasonal averages are 7km/h in winter, 11km/h in spring, 12km/h in summer, 10km/h in autumn.

Seasons

Winter
Dec 21
Spring
Sep 23
Summer
Dec 21
Autumn
Mar 20

89 days until Winter

It is currently autumn in Lake Hawea, which began on March 20, 2026. Lake Hawea is in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are reversed — spring starts in September, summer in December, autumn in March, and winter in June. The warmest period peaks in January at around 18°C, while the coldest stretch bottoms out in July near -1°C. Winter is next, beginning on June 21, 2026 — 89 days from now.

Spring

Temperatures range from 1 to 14°C. Rainfall is heavy, totalling around 432mm across the season with a monthly average of 144mm. Winds are generally light, averaging 11km/h. An umbrella or waterproof jacket is advisable as spring showers are frequent.

Summer

Temperatures range from 8 to 18°C. Rainfall is heavy, totalling around 352mm across the season with a monthly average of 117mm. Winds are generally light, averaging 12km/h. Comfortable clothing with a light layer for cooler evenings is all you need.

Autumn

Temperatures range from 3 to 16°C. Rainfall is heavy, totalling around 360mm across the season with a monthly average of 120mm. Expect around 14cm of snow accumulation during this period. Winds are generally light, averaging 10km/h. A waterproof jacket and sturdy footwear are recommended as rain becomes more frequent.

Winter

Temperatures range from -1 to 5°C. Rainfall is heavy, totalling around 356mm across the season with a monthly average of 119mm. Expect around 62cm of snow accumulation during this period. Winds are generally light, averaging 7km/h. Warm winter clothing and waterproof boots are a must, and travel may be affected by snow.

Monthly Climate Data

The table below shows monthly climate averages for Lake Hawea based on historical weather data. Min and max temperatures represent typical overnight lows and afternoon highs for each month, shown in degrees Celsius (°C). Precipitation is measured in millimetres (mm) and indicates the average total rainfall per month. Snow is measured in centimetres (cm) and reflects average monthly snowfall accumulation. Wind speed is the average sustained speed in kilometres per hour (km/h). All values are based on averages from over 10 years of historical weather data. The current month is highlighted for quick reference.

Month
Min Temperature
Max Temperature
Wind Speed
Precipitation
Snow
Jan
9 °C
18 °C
12 km/h
114 mm
0 cm
Feb
9 °C
17 °C
12 km/h
108 mm
2 cm
Mar Current
8 °C
16 °C
10 km/h
108 mm
1 cm
Apr
5 °C
12 °C
10 km/h
123 mm
4 cm
May
3 °C
9 °C
9 km/h
130 mm
9 cm
Jun
1 °C
5 °C
7 km/h
97 mm
17 cm
Jul
-1 °C
4 °C
7 km/h
147 mm
26 cm
Aug
0 °C
5 °C
7 km/h
112 mm
19 cm
Sep
1 °C
8 °C
10 km/h
160 mm
22 cm
Oct
3 °C
11 °C
12 km/h
144 mm
17 cm
Nov
6 °C
14 °C
12 km/h
128 mm
9 cm
Dec
8 °C
16 °C
12 km/h
130 mm
0 cm
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Metric (°C, km/h)