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
6 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Napier).
- 1
Hawkes Bay Wine Tour: Explore NZ's Great Wine Capital - 2
Deco City Black Cab Tours and Shuttles - 3
Wine & Sightseeing Cruise Tour 2.5hr | Award Winning Experience - 4
Napier Highlights Plus: Art Deco, Murals & Coastal Discovery - 5
The Urban Wine Tour - With Exclusive experience at Smith & Sheth - 6
Napier Art Deco & Distillery Tour with Tastings
Last refreshed 2026-06-08.
Similar climatesMelbourne91% · Christchurch91% · Nelson90%
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 | Quiet | 8 |
| Feb | 16–23 | 22 | 9 | 117 | 13.0 | 62% | 22 | 211 | 8 | Quiet | 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 | Quiet | 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 | Busy | 7 |
| Sep | 8–17 | 14 | 11 | 124 | 11.3 | 63% | 23 | 199 | 3 | Busy | 7 |
| Oct | 10–18 | 16 | 10 | 114 | 11.4 | 62% | 21 | 220 | 5 | Moderate | 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 | Busy | 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 · Quiet 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 · Quiet 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 · Quiet 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 · Busy crowd · UV 2 (low)
September
7/108–17°C (feels 14°C) · 11 rain days (124h) · 199 sun hours · 63% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 3 (moderate)
October
7/1010–18°C (feels 16°C) · 10 rain days (114h) · 220 sun hours · 62% humidity · Moderate 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 · Busy 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 January 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?
January (climate 8/10, crowd index 0) and February (climate 8/10, crowd index 30) — 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.