AI-generatedDunedin at a glance
- Best time
- Jan – Apr, Sep, Nov
- Warmest month
- Feb · 17°
- Warmest sea
- Feb · 14.5°
- Sunshine a year
- 1,870 h
- Rain a year
- 830 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC+13 / UTC+12
- Elevation
- 21 m
Climate in Dunedin
Dunedin has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. February is the warmest month with average highs of 17 °C, while July is the coolest at 9 °C. With around 1,870 hours of sunshine a year, Dunedin is moderately sunny; January is the sunniest month with 6.4 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: January – April, September, November
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 8°
- Midday, 13:00: about 12°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
- Evening, 20:00: about 11°
- Night, 23:00: about 9°
06:4420:03
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 06:26–07:24 · evening 19:23–20:22
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:14–06:26 · evening 20:22–20:34
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
What is the weather like in Dunedin in October?
In October, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 11.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 86 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 13 h 18 min06:44 – 20:03
- UV index
- 6 · highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 26 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 66 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or more
- Time zone
- UTC+13Pacific/Auckland
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %52 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %18 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- Sunscreen
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Dunedin
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 10.4 – 11.5 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Dunedin ranges from 10.0 °C in August to 14.5 °C in February. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
From May to August the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in February, eight out of ten years were between 13.5 and 15.6 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 14.0° | 12.9° | 15.0° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 14.5° | 13.5° | 15.6° | cold |
| MarchMar | 13.9° | 13.1° | 15.2° | cold |
| AprilApr | 13.0° | 12.2° | 13.8° | cold |
| MayMay | 12.0° | 11.3° | 12.9° | cold |
| JuneJun | 10.9° | 10.3° | 11.7° | cold |
| JulyJul | 10.2° | 9.5° | 10.9° | cold |
| AugustAug | 10.0° | 9.3° | 10.6° | cold |
| SeptemberSep | 10.4° | 9.7° | 11.1° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 11.0° | 10.4° | 11.5° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 12.0° | 11.2° | 13.1° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 13.1° | 11.9° | 14.4° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Dunedin
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 6.1 of 13.3 hours of daylight in Dunedin, 46 % of the day.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
UV index in Dunedin
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 6 · highSeek shade around midday; sunscreen SPF 30+, hat and sunglasses.
The sun is strongest in December (UV 9).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 20 min
- Fair skin
- about 30 min
- Light brown skin
- about 40 min
- Olive skin
- about 50 min
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Rain in Dunedin: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Dunedin has about 16 rainy days with 86 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Dunedin
How breezy and how cloudy Dunedin is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Dunedin typically peaks at 26 km/h during the day: Beaufort 4, moderate breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
From Beaufort 4 (20 km/h) the daily breeze is usually enough for windsurfing and often for kiting, and here it gets there all year.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 66 % of the sky over Dunedin: mostly cloudy, with about 6.1 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Dunedin
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
ColdOctober: nights around 7°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in July (4°), the warmest in February (12°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from May to October, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 18 | 17° | 12° | 14.0° | 6.4 h | 13 | 93 |
| FebruaryFeb | 21 | 17° | 12° | 14.5° | 6.2 h | 11 | 74 |
| MarchMar | 18 | 16° | 11° | 13.9° | 5.3 h | 11 | 68 |
| AprilApr | 16 | 14° | 9° | 13.0° | 4.7 h | 11 | 62 |
| MayMay | 11 | 12° | 7° | 12.0° | 3.5 h | 11 | 62 |
| JuneJun | 10 | 10° | 5° | 10.9° | 3.1 h | 11 | 56 |
| JulyJul | 14 | 9° | 4° | 10.2° | 3.7 h | 10 | 49 |
| AugustAug | 15 | 10° | 4° | 10.0° | 4.4 h | 11 | 45 |
| SeptemberSep | 16 | 12° | 6° | 10.4° | 5.3 h | 13 | 55 |
| OctoberOct | 14 | 13° | 7° | 11.0° | 6.1 h | 16 | 86 |
| NovemberNov | 17 | 14° | 9° | 12.0° | 6.4 h | 14 | 81 |
| DecemberDec | 15 | 16° | 10° | 13.1° | 6.3 h | 15 | 99 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
45.87° S, 170.50° E · 21 m · Pacific/Auckland
Best time to visit Dunedin
The best time to visit Dunedin is from January to April and in September and in November. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in February it only reaches 14.5 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from February to March. Rain is most frequent from September to January; the wettest month is December with 99 mm.
Dunedin through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Dunedin in spring
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 12–14 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 42 rainy days in all
Dunedin in summer
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 16–17 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 39 rainy days in all
Dunedin in autumn
Mar – May
Poor
- 12–16 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 33 rainy days in all
Dunedin in winter
Jun – Aug
Poor
- 9–10 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 4 h of sun a day
- 32 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Dunedin for you.
Your best months: January – March
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Dunedin
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
February has the better holiday weather in Dunedin: score 21 against 14. In February, days are 4 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 4 °C warmer in February. February has 5 fewer rainy days.
| Month | October | February |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 14 | 21better |
| Day high | 13° | 17° |
| Night low | 7° | 12° |
| Sea | 11.0° | 14.5° |
| Sunshine | 6.1 h | 6.2 h |
| Rainy days | 16 | 11better |
| Rainfall | 86 mm | 74 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Feb – Mar
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Sep – Jan
12 or more rainy days
Dunedin month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
18January17° · Sea 14° · 6 h
In January, Dunedin is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 93 mm in total. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in January21February17° · Sea 15° · 6 h
In February, Dunedin is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 14.5 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 74 mm in total. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in February18March16° · Sea 14° · 5 h
In March, Dunedin is mild: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 11 °C. The sea averages 13.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 68 mm in total. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in March16April14° · Sea 13° · 5 h
In April, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 13.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in April11May12° · Sea 12° · 4 h
In May, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 62 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in May10June10° · Sea 11° · 3 h
In June, Dunedin is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 5 °C. The sea averages 10.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 56 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in June14July9° · Sea 10° · 4 h
In July, Dunedin is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 10.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 49 mm in total. All in all, July is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in July15August10° · Sea 10° · 4 h
In August, Dunedin is cold: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 10.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 45 mm in total. All in all, August is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in August16September12° · Sea 10° · 5 h
In September, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 10.4 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 55 mm in total. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in September14October13° · Sea 11° · 6 h
In October, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 13 °C, and nights cool down to about 7 °C. The sea averages 11.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 16 days, adding up to 86 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in October17November14° · Sea 12° · 6 h
In November, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 81 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in November15December16° · Sea 13° · 6 h
In December, Dunedin is cool: daytime highs average 16 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sea averages 13.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 99 mm. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Dunedin.
Dunedin in DecemberDunedin compared
Put Dunedin side by side with another destination.
No destination found
Dunedin vs. Queenstown
In October the holiday weather in Dunedin and Queenstown is about equally good (score 14 vs. 14). During the day Queenstown is 2 °C cooler than Dunedin.
| in October | Dunedin | Queenstown |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 14 | 14 |
| Daytime high | 13° | 11° |
| Sea | 11° | – |
| Sunshine | 6 h | 6 h |
| Rainy days | 16 | 15 |
| Best time | Jan – Apr, Sep, Nov | Dec – Mar |
Through the year
New Zealand in October: the best places
In October, Dunedin ranks 8 of 9 destinations in this country.
- Tauranga17°16°68
- 2Auckland17°16°66
- 3Christchurch15°63
- 4Wellington14°13°51
- 5Queenstown11°40
- 6Whangārei17°16°20
- 7Nelson15°14°18
- 8DunedinThis page13°11°14
Planning a trip to Dunedin
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Dunedin in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Dunedin has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 17) and its weakest during May half-term (score 11).
- 17
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
PoorBest holidays
- 15 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 4.9 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 11
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 3.4 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 15
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Poor
- 10 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 4.2 h of sun a day
- 10 rainy days a month
- 14
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 13 °C by day
- Sea 11 °C
- 6.1 h of sun a day
- 16 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 17
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 17 °C by day
- Sea 14 °C
- 6.4 h of sun a day
- 14 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 23 h 30 min
- Distance
- 19,110 km
- Time zone
- UTC+13
- Jet lag
- About 12 days (12 h east)
Rule of thumb for flying east: for a few days before, go to bed and get up a little earlier, and get plenty of morning light at your destination.
Most routes need a change of planes, which adds time.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Frequently asked questions about Dunedin
When is the best time to visit Dunedin?
The best time to visit Dunedin is from January to April and in September and in November. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Dunedin?
The sea temperature in Dunedin ranges from 10.0 °C in August to 14.5 °C in February. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Dunedin in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 11.0 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Dunedin?
February is the warmest month, with average highs of 17 °C and nights around 12 °C. July is the coolest month at 9 °C.
When does it rain most in Dunedin?
Rain is most frequent from September to January; the wettest month is December with 99 mm. The driest month is August with 45 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Dunedin get?
Dunedin gets around 1,870 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is January with 6.4 hours a day; in June there are 3.1 hours a day.
What time zone is Dunedin in?
Dunedin uses the time zone Pacific/Auckland: UTC+13 in January and UTC+12 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Dunedin?
A nonstop flight from London to Dunedin takes about 23 h 30 min, for a straight-line distance of about 19,110 km. Most routes need a change of planes, which adds time.
Which school holidays are best for Dunedin?
Dunedin has its best school-holiday weather during the Easter holidays (score 17) and its weakest during May half-term (score 11). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 17, May half-term 11, Summer holidays 15, October half-term 14, Christmas holidays 17.
Near Dunedin
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Dunedin
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Dunedin's – good alternatives.