Milford Sound records about 6813mm of rain across roughly 182 wet days a year, which is a 50% chance on an average day. May is the wettest month at 588mm (9% of the annual total) and February the driest at 432mm. Local rain type: steady rain. Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on Earth — 182 rain days per year. Paradoxically, rain makes the fjord MORE spectacular with temporary waterfalls.
Chance of rain on an average day: 50%
Rainfall climatology for Milford Sound. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 6813mm |
| Rain days per year | 182 |
| Odds on an average day | 50% |
| Wettest month | May — 588mm over 17 days |
| Driest month | February — 432mm over 12 days |
| Rain type | steady rain |
| Best dry window | February offers the warmest conditions, though rain is likely in any month. |
| Worst rain window | June and October bring the heaviest sustained rain. |
May delivers 36% more rain than February (588mm vs 432mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 9% of the annual total, so rain in Milford Sound is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Milford Sound rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 17 days in May against 12 in February — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 518mm | 15 | 50% | 18°C |
| February | 432mm | 12 | 40% | 18°C |
| March | 495mm | 14 | 47% | 17°C |
| April | 528mm | 15 | 50% | 14°C |
| May | 588mm | 17 | 57% | 12°C |
| June | 582mm | 17 | 57% | 9°C |
| July | 512mm | 15 | 50% | 8°C |
| August | 508mm | 15 | 50% | 8°C |
| September | 532mm | 15 | 50% | 9°C |
| October | 568mm | 16 | 53% | 12°C |
| November | 518mm | 15 | 50% | 14°C |
| December | 585mm | 17 | 57% | 17°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Milford Sound we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Milford Sound records rain on roughly 182 days a year — about a 50% chance on any given day — totalling around 6813mm.
May, with about 588mm over 17 rain days. That is 9% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
February is the driest month at 432mm across roughly 12 days. February offers the warmest conditions, though rain is likely in any month.
Milford Sound is one of the wettest places on Earth — 182 rain days per year. Paradoxically, rain makes the fjord MORE spectacular with temporary waterfalls.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.