Best time to visit Porters Ski Area

The climate in Porters Ski Area through the year

When to go

Porters Ski Area scores highest on Eddigo’s travel score in January and February, peaking at 69 out of 100 in February. A typical February day reaches 18°C and the night falls to 7°C, with rain on about 10 days and clear sky 41 % of the time. March is a fair alternative, with scores of 58. The lowest score is in October (27), when days are cool at around 12°C.

Seasons and rain

The seasons are moderate: daytime highs go from 5°C in July to 19°C in January. Nights typically drop below freezing in June–September. Precipitation is spread evenly over the year, from 112 mm in February to 206 mm in October (about 1,890 mm in all). Snow typically lies on the ground in July and August, deepest in August (about 10 cm).

Daylight

Daylight lasts from about 9 hours in June to 15.5 hours in December. Porters Ski Area lies about 1,050 m above sea level, which makes it roughly 7 degrees cooler than the lowlands around it.

By type of trip

The best months change with what you want to do. Each of Eddigo’s trip types has its own preferred daytime temperature and its own weights for rain, humidity and sun. Porters Ski Area scores 65 or more in these months:

• City break (15–25 °C): January–April and November, up to 77
• Hiking (10–22 °C): January–April, up to 70
• Cooler weather (10–20 °C): August–June, up to 87

How it compares

Of the 37 destinations Eddigo covers in New Zealand, Porters Ski Area is the 16th coolest over the year and the 8th wettest. In February, when Porters Ski Area scores 69, Temple Basin (41 km away) scores 55 and Mount Potts (63 km away) scores 54. In October, when Porters Ski Area is at its lowest, Christchurch scores 64 and lies 90 km away. See where to go in February for the best destinations that month.