Best time to visit Rainbow Ski Area

The climate in Rainbow Ski Area through the year

When to go

Rainbow Ski Area scores highest on Eddigo’s travel score in February, peaking at 69 out of 100 in February. A typical February day reaches 18°C and the night falls to 6°C, with rain on about 10 days and clear sky 41 % of the time. January and March are a fair alternative, with scores of 55–64. The lowest score is in October (22), when days are cool at around 11°C.

Seasons and rain

The seasons are moderate: daytime highs go from 5°C in July to 18°C in January. Nights typically drop below freezing in May–September. Precipitation is spread evenly over the year, from 97 mm in March to 174 mm in October (about 1,600 mm in all).

Daylight

Daylight lasts from about 9 hours in June to 15 hours in December. Rainbow Ski Area lies about 1,150 m above sea level, which makes it roughly 8 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. Rainbow Ski Area scores 65 or more in these months:

• City break (15–25 °C): January–March, up to 77
• Hiking (10–22 °C): February–April, up to 70
• Cooler weather (10–20 °C): September–June, up to 88

How it compares

Of the 37 destinations Eddigo covers in New Zealand, Rainbow Ski Area is the 13th coolest over the year and the 17th wettest. It has 1 month with a good score, against 2 for a typical destination in the country. In February, when Rainbow Ski Area scores 69, Hanmer Springs Ski Area (64 km away) scores 73 and Wharariki Beach (153 km away) scores 77. In October, when Rainbow Ski Area is at its lowest, Christchurch scores 64 and lies 180 km away. See where to go in February for the best destinations that month.