Queenstown records about 830mm of rain across roughly 120 wet days a year, which is a 33% chance on an average day. October is the wettest month at 70mm (8% of the annual total) and February the driest at 50mm. Local rain type: brief showers. Queenstown gets rain spread evenly across the year — "four seasons in one day" is the local reality. Always carry a waterproof layer. Mountain weather changes in minutes regardless of the forecast.
Chance of rain on an average day: 33%
Rainfall climatology for Queenstown. 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 | 830mm |
| Rain days per year | 120 |
| Odds on an average day | 33% |
| Wettest month | October — 70mm over 12 days |
| Driest month | February — 50mm over 8 days |
| Rain type | brief showers |
| Best dry window | July and August (winter) are actually the driest months — perfect for skiing with less rain interruption. |
| Worst rain window | October and November bring the most precipitation as spring storms move through, but conditions change rapidly. |
October delivers 40% more rain than February (70mm vs 50mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 8% of the annual total, so rain in Queenstown is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Queenstown rain typically comes as discrete showers, so a compact umbrella and a flexible plan are usually enough.
Rain falls on about 12 days in October against 8 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 | 55mm | 9 | 30% | 22°C |
| February | 50mm | 8 | 27% | 22°C |
| March | 60mm | 10 | 33% | 20°C |
| April | 70mm | 12 | 40% | 17°C |
| May | 65mm | 11 | 37% | 13°C |
| June | 55mm | 9 | 30% | 10°C |
| July | 50mm | 8 | 27% | 8°C |
| August | 55mm | 9 | 30% | 8°C |
| September | 60mm | 10 | 33% | 10°C |
| October | 70mm | 12 | 40% | 13°C |
| November | 65mm | 11 | 37% | 17°C |
| December | 60mm | 10 | 33% | 20°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Queenstown 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.
Queenstown records rain on roughly 120 days a year — about a 33% chance on any given day — totalling around 830mm.
October, with about 70mm over 12 rain days. That is 8% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
February is the driest month at 50mm across roughly 8 days. July and August (winter) are actually the driest months — perfect for skiing with less rain interruption.
Queenstown gets rain spread evenly across the year — "four seasons in one day" is the local reality. Always carry a waterproof layer. Mountain weather changes in minutes regardless of the forecast.
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.