Best time to visit Napier
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Napier
30 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you.
- 1
E-Bike to Napier Wineries - SELF-GUIDED, 3-5 hours - 2
Shore Excursion: Napier and Surrounding Countryside Scenic Tour - 3
Top-Rated Hawke’s Bay Wine Tour - Small Group - 4
Shore Excursion: Scenic Rafting from Napier - 5
Scenic Te Mata Peak Tour by Supertrike - 6
Guided 10am Morning Art Deco Walk From Napier Art Deco Trust - 7
Napier E-bike Hire - 8
Premium Tasting, 4-Best Wineries Napier Hawke's Bay Tour, 5.5h - 9
Napier: Afternoon 3 Winery Tasting + visit Silky Oaks Chocolates - 10
Guided 2pm Afternoon Art Deco Walk from Napier Art Deco Trust - 11
Napier Gourmet Winery Luncheon plus Tastings at 3 Great Wineries - 12
Cape Winery Cycle Tour - 6 wineries, self-guided - 13
Cruise ship: Napier Art Deco-Premium Wineries +Beer, Cider tour - 14
Great Escape Self-Guided Scenic Cycle Winery Tour from Napier - 15
Small Group - Half-Day Hawke's Bay Winery Tour - 16
Shore excursion: Napier-Premium Wineries & Sights /Art deco tour - 17
Half Day Sightseeing and Taste Tour - 18
Napier Shore Excursion to Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony - 19
Deco Napier, Te Mata Peak, Garden Walk and Wine Tasting Tour - 20
Small group - Napier Premium Winery , Beer & Cider + 5.5h to 6h. - 21
Art Deco Napier Vintage Car Tour, select 1 traveler for 1-4 seats - 22
Napier Bike Hire: Hawke's Bay Trails - 23
Wine Tour and Tastings in Hawkes Bay - 24
4-Hour Discover Hawkes Bay /Napier Art Deco, Sightseeing Tour - 25
Wine Tasting Tour in Napier Region - 26
National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier General Admission - 27
Napier Shore Excursion: Wine & Art Deco Tour - 28
Napier and Hawkes Bay Scenic and Art Deco Tour by VW Kombi - 29
Private tour to Cape Kidnappers Gannet Colony - 30
Small group - Napier City & Art Deco Tour, 2 hours
Last refreshed 2026-10-24.
Similar climatesMelbourne92% · Christchurch91% · Nelson91%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Napier (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Napier's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16–23 | 22 | 11 | 134 | 12.2 | 59% | 22 | 253 | 8 | Peak | 8 |
| Feb | 16–23 | 22 | 9 | 117 | 13.0 | 62% | 22 | 211 | 8 | Busy | 8 |
| Mar | 13–21 | 19 | 11 | 129 | 11.7 | 61% | 21 | 211 | 6 | Quiet | 8 |
| Apr | 12–20 | 18 | 7 | 73 | 10.4 | 62% | 20 | 193 | 3 | Moderate | 8 |
| May | 10–17 | 15 | 10 | 111 | 11.1 | 67% | 20 | 178 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jun | 9–15 | 13 | 13 | 172 | 13.2 | 74% | 22 | 142 | 1 | Quiet | 5 |
| Jul | 7–14 | 11 | 12 | 134 | 11.2 | 72% | 22 | 152 | 1 | Quiet | 6 |
| Aug | 7–15 | 12 | 10 | 105 | 10.5 | 67% | 21 | 183 | 2 | Quiet | 7 |
| Sep | 8–17 | 14 | 11 | 124 | 11.3 | 63% | 23 | 199 | 3 | Peak | 7 |
| Oct | 10–18 | 16 | 10 | 114 | 11.4 | 62% | 21 | 220 | 5 | Busy | 7 |
| Nov | 13–20 | 19 | 13 | 154 | 11.8 | 63% | 22 | 223 | 7 | Peak | 7 |
| Dec | 15–23 | 22 | 13 | 154 | 11.8 | 62% | 22 | 240 | 8 | Peak | 7 |
UV Index in Napier by Month
UV index in Napier peaks at 8 (very high) in December, dropping to 1 (low) in June. December reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
Best months in detail
April
8/1012–20°C (feels 18°C) · 7 rain days (73h) · 193 sun hours · 62% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 3 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 5 (moderate)
February
8/1016–23°C · 9 rain days (117h) · 211 sun hours · 62% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
January
8/1016–23°C (feels 22°C) · 11 rain days (134h) · 253 sun hours · 59% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (very high)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
March
8/1013–21°C (feels 19°C) · 11 rain days (129h) · 211 sun hours · 61% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
May
7/1010–17°C (feels 15°C) · 10 rain days (111h) · 178 sun hours · 67% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
June
5/109–15°C (feels 13°C) · 13 rain days (172h) · 142 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
July
6/107–14°C (feels 11°C) · 12 rain days (134h) · 152 sun hours · 72% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 1 (low)
August
7/107–15°C (feels 12°C) · 10 rain days (105h) · 183 sun hours · 67% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
September
7/108–17°C (feels 14°C) · 11 rain days (124h) · 199 sun hours · 63% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
October
7/1010–18°C (feels 16°C) · 10 rain days (114h) · 220 sun hours · 62% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
November
7/1013–20°C (feels 19°C) · 13 rain days (154h) · 223 sun hours · 63% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
December
7/1015–23°C (feels 22°C) · 13 rain days (154h) · 240 sun hours · 62% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 8 (very high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 11 (extreme)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Napier
When is the best time to visit Napier?
April is the highest-scoring month (8/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 12–20°C (7 rainy days). The top three months by score are April, February, January.
What is the worst time to visit Napier?
June is the lowest-scoring month (5/10). Typical conditions: 9–15°C (13 rainy days).
When are crowds lowest in Napier?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in June and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Napier have good weather but fewer tourists?
March (climate 8/10, crowd index 26) and April (climate 8/10, crowd index 40) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Napier by month?
UV peaks at 8 (very high) in December and is lowest in June at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 8, Feb 8, Mar 6, Apr 3, May 2, Jun 1, Jul 1, Aug 2, Sep 3, Oct 5, Nov 7, Dec 8. December reach very high or extreme levels — apply SPF 50+, wear a hat and protective clothing, and limit direct sun between 11:00 and 17:00.
What is the UV index in Napier in December?
December is the peak UV month in Napier, with a daily-peak UV index of 8 (very high). At this level, sunburn can occur in under 20 minutes on unprotected fair skin. Apply SPF 50+, wear protective clothing and a hat, and avoid direct midday sun (11:00–17:00).
How high can UV get in Napier on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. December is the worst case: typical days average UV 8 (very high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 11 (extreme) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: January, February, March, April, October, November, December. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.