Oszea Tasman Essentials in Onyx Eclipse on a rain-soaked Auckland harbourside boardwalk

Wet-Weather Guide to Auckland: Rain, Wind and What to Wear on Your Feet

Auckland is wettest in winter: NIWA's 1981–2010 normals put about 32% of the year's rain in June to August, with July the wettest month, and only around 20% in December to February. The rain rarely settles in for days, though. It comes as passing showers, fronts and breezy changes, so the practical answer is to plan for a mixed day, keep an indoor backup handy, and wear shoes that cope with wet footpaths and soggy grass.

Auckland, 6pm: a puddle on the way home. Rain and shallow puddles are what Oszea is built for.

Auckland's rain pattern by season

NIWA's climate summary for the Auckland region (based on the 1981–2010 normal period) gives Auckland Airport an average of about 1,101 mm of rain a year and Albert Park in the central city about 1,137 mm. Auckland Airport averages 129 days a year with at least 1 mm of rain, and 183 days with any measurable rain (0.1 mm or more). That gap tells you a lot: many of Auckland's "rainy days" are light showers rather than washouts.

Season Auckland Airport rainfall (mm, 1981–2010 normals) Days with 1 mm+ of rain What it usually feels like
Summer (Dec–Feb) 87 / 66 / 71 9 / 7 / 7 Driest months; dry spells common, but humid downpours still happen
Autumn (Mar–May) 75 / 85 / 110 8 / 9 / 13 Steadily wetter; May is a big step up
Winter (Jun–Aug) 108 / 133 / 111 14 / 15 / 14 Wettest; showery southwesterlies and passing fronts
Spring (Sep–Nov) 91 / 94 / 72 12 / 12 / 9 Windiest season; showers easing by November

Source: NIWA, The Climate and Weather of Auckland (2nd edition), normals for 1981–2010. If you want to see how Auckland compares with Wellington, Christchurch and the rest, we pulled the numbers together in How Many Rainy Days Does New Zealand Actually Get?

The "four seasons in a day" reality

Aucklanders joke about four seasons in a day, and the climate data backs up the feeling. NIWA describes winter southwesterlies bringing cloudy, showery weather, where a passing front often stirs up more showers, a brief fine spell follows, and then the cloud and showers "quickly become re-established". Spring is the windiest time of year, with average wind speeds at Auckland Airport around 21 km/h in October and November.

Summer has its own quirk. On fine summer days, sea breezes blow in from both the Waitematā and Manukau harbours, and where they meet a band of cloud can form over the isthmus, occasionally with scattered showers. So a bright morning on the North Shore can turn into a sudden shower in Mt Eden.

Rainy-day things to do in Auckland

  • Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Auckland Domain, with the Domain's Wintergardens glasshouses nearby for a dry-ish stroll between showers.
  • Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in the central city, close to Albert Park.
  • New Zealand Maritime Museum at Viaduct Harbour, and MOTAT at Western Springs for transport and tech history.
  • SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's, with its underwater tunnel.
  • Stardome Observatory and Planetarium in Cornwall Park, a good wet-evening option.
  • Studio One Toi Tū, which runs markets, exhibitions and workshops.
  • Covered shopping and food at Commercial Bay in the CBD, Westfield Newmarket or Sylvia Park.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited keeps a longer rainy-day list on aucklandnz.com.

Commuting on wet days: ferries, trains and the CBD

Most wet-day commuting in Auckland is about short, exposed stretches: the walk from a bus stop, the platform at a train station, the queue at the Downtown ferry terminal. A few things help:

  • Check before you go. Auckland Transport posts ferry and train line status and has guidance for travelling during severe weather watches and warnings. Wind and swell can affect ferry services, so on a blustery day check before you walk down to the wharf in Devonport or Half Moon Bay.
  • Use indoor stops in the CBD. Commercial Bay and Britomart are close to the Downtown ferry terminal, handy for waiting out a heavy shower between connections.
  • Allow extra time on heavy-rain days. When MetService issues a watch or warning, read AT's severe-weather guidance and expect slower trips.
  • Watch the footpath, not just the sky. Kerbs, crossings and drains overflow quickly in a downpour. Shoes that keep water out matter more than a fancy umbrella once the wind picks up.

We wrote about a similar problem in the capital in What to Wear on Your Feet for a Wet Wellington Commute.

Best wet-weather walks

Tāmaki Drive, Mission Bay to St Heliers

Auckland Council describes this as a flat shared path from Mission Bay through Kohimarama to St Heliers, with views to Rangitoto and Devonport and cafés at the St Heliers end. It's flat and easy, so it works in showery weather. It is exposed to the harbour, so it's blustery when the wind is up, and you'll share the path with cyclists and scooters.

Cornwall Park and Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill

Park roads and paths make Cornwall Park a reliable wet-day walk, with Huia Lodge and the park eateries for shelter. The grass gets very soggy in winter, so stick to the paths if you want dry feet.

West coast beaches: Piha, Karekare and Muriwai, with caution

A grey, wild day at Piha can be beautiful, but the west coast is not the place for casual risk-taking. Surf Life Saving's advice applies doubly in rough weather: swim only at patrolled beaches between the flags, "if in doubt, stay out", never stand on wet rock outcrops (it usually means waves are washing over them), and never turn your back on the sea. Check Safeswim before you go. If you head into the Waitākere Ranges, Auckland Council asks visitors to stay on open tracks, use the hygiene stations and clean footwear before leaving home to help protect kauri. Bush tracks out there get muddy and steep after rain, and that's a job for a proper hiking boot or trail shoe; see our hiking and trail shoe guide.

Dog walking on wet days

  • Meola Reef Dog Park, described by Auckland Council as the only fully fenced off-leash dog park in central Auckland.
  • Waiatarua Reserve in Remuera, off Abbotts Way, with off-leash walking on the wetland path (dogs must be on a lead in the main central wetland area and on viewing platforms).
  • Waiata Reserve in northern Remuera, off-leash at all times.
  • Macleans Park in eastern Auckland, with an off-leash loop track.
  • Cornwall Park requires dogs on a lead everywhere, and some areas are closed to dogs during lambing and calving (17 July to 10 September).

Rules change, so check Auckland Council's dog access rules for any park or beach before you go.

What to wear on your feet

For most Auckland wet days (a damp commute, a showery Tāmaki Drive walk, a soggy lap of Cornwall Park with the dog), you don't need boots. You need something that keeps rain, puddles and wet grass out, breathes in humid weather, and dries quickly.

That's what we designed our shoes for. We make Oszea, and our Tasman Essentials and Urban Essentials are waterproof everyday sneakers built with a ZEA-TEX 4-layer construction: a breathable knit outer, a waterproof membrane, a flexible elastomer layer and a soft inner lining. They handle rain, puddles and wet grass well. They're not for wading, river crossings or muddy bush tracks in the Waitākere Ranges, and they're not hiking boots or trail shoes. After a wet day, wipe them clean and let them air dry. Our guide on how to dry wet shoes covers the rest.

FAQ

What is the rainiest month in Auckland?

July. NIWA's 1981–2010 normals give Auckland Airport 133 mm in July, with about 15 days of 1 mm or more of rain.

What is the driest time of year in Auckland?

Summer. January averages about 66 mm at Auckland Airport, and NIWA notes dry spells of 15 or more days are common between December and March.

Does it rain all day in Auckland?

Usually not. Auckland Airport has rain on about 183 days a year, but only 129 of those reach 1 mm, and winter rain often comes as showers with fine breaks in between.

Can I go to Piha when it's raining?

Yes, for a look and a beach walk, but be cautious. Stay off wet rocks, don't swim outside patrolled areas, check Safeswim, and stay on open tracks in the Waitākere Ranges.

Sources

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