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City in Otago, New Zealand
Queenstown
Lakeside resort town in Otago, the base for Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Cardrona.
Forecast updated , when it was 23:00 in Queenstown (GMT+13).
Queenstown snow forecast
Next 24 hours
No snow in the next 24 hours.
No snow expected in the next 7 days.
High confidence, all three forecast models agree
No snow is forecast for Queenstown in the next 7 days, and all three weather models we compare agree. Expect temperatures from 8 to 22 °C (46 to 72 °F) and the freezing level near 2,300 m (7,500 ft) over the next day. It should be sunny on Thursday.
- Temperature now
- 10 °C (50 °F)
- Freezing level
- 2,300 m (7,500 ft)
- Wind
- 6 km/h (4 mph), gusts 13 km/h (8 mph)
- Sky now
- Mostly clear, 23% cloud
Queenstown hour by hour
Hourly snowfallNo rain or snow in Queenstown in the next 24 hours.
Queenstown 7-day snow forecast
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Tonight | Dry10 °C (50 °F) · freezing level 2,300 m (7,500 ft) | No snow |
| Sat | Some sun8 to 22 °C (46 to 72 °F) · freezing level 2,600 m (8,500 ft) | No snow |
| Sun | Rain11 to 19 °C (52 to 66 °F) · gusts 57 km/h (35 mph) · freezing level 2,800 m (9,200 ft) | No snow |
| Mon | Rain7 to 16 °C (45 to 61 °F) · gusts 48 km/h (30 mph) · freezing level 1,950 m (6,400 ft) | No snow |
| Tue | Some sun5 to 15 °C (41 to 59 °F) · freezing level 1,600 m (5,200 ft) | No snow |
| Wed | Rain6 to 14 °C (43 to 57 °F) · gusts 52 km/h (32 mph) · freezing level 1,650 m (5,400 ft) | No snow |
| Thu | Sunny5 to 18 °C (41 to 64 °F) · freezing level 1,700 m (5,600 ft) | No snow |
Sky is graded over the ski day, 9am to 4pm. Bluebird means at least two of the three models show clear skies all day, none shows overcast, and no snow or rain is forecast. Models are weaker on cloud than on snow, and none of them can see valley fog, so treat it as a good sign rather than a promise.
Queenstown 14-day snow outlook
Days 8 to 14. Only two of our three models run this far ahead, and forecasts at this range often change, so read this as a guide to the pattern rather than a plan.
| Day | Weather | Snowfall |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 20 Nov | Sunny6 to 20 °C (43 to 68 °F) | No snow |
| Sat 21 Nov | Cloudy10 to 17 °C (50 to 63 °F) | No snow |
| Sun 22 Nov | Some sun8 to 21 °C (46 to 70 °F) | No snow |
| Mon 23 Nov | Sunny9 to 24 °C (48 to 75 °F) | No snow |
| Tue 24 Nov | Some sun12 to 23 °C (54 to 73 °F) | No snow |
| Wed 25 Nov | Some sun9 to 18 °C (48 to 64 °F) | No snow |
| Thu 26 Nov | Cloudy9 to 15 °C (48 to 59 °F) | No snow |
How much snow is there in Queenstown?
No snow on the ground
This is an estimate from weather models, not a measurement, so it can differ from the depth a resort reports on its pistes.
Where is Queenstown?
- Region
- Otago
- Country
- New Zealand
- Elevation
- 318 m
- Population
- 29,000
When does it snow in Queenstown?
In Queenstown, snow falls on about 5 days in September in a typical year, the snowiest month. Snow is regular from May to October.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 days | 0 days | <1 days | <1 days | 2 days | 3 days | 5 days | 4 days | 5 days | 3 days | 1 days | <1 days |
Average days each month with at least 1 cm of snowfall, 2016–2025. Calculated from ERA5 reanalysis data.
Snow in Queenstown month by month
Averages for 2016 to 2025, from ERA5 reanalysis data.
| Month | Snow days | Share of the year's snow | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0 | 0% | 13 to 21 °C (55 to 70 °F) |
| February | 0 | 0% | 12 to 21 °C (54 to 70 °F) |
| March | <1 | 1% | 11 to 19 °C (52 to 66 °F) |
| April | <1 | 2% | 8 to 15 °C (46 to 59 °F) |
| May | 2 | 8% | 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F) |
| June | 3 | 13% | 3 to 7 °C (37 to 45 °F) |
| July | 5 | 18% | 2 to 7 °C (36 to 45 °F) |
| August | 4 | 13% | 2 to 8 °C (36 to 46 °F) |
| September | 5 | 23% | 4 to 11 °C (39 to 52 °F) |
| October | 3 | 16% | 6 to 14 °C (43 to 57 °F) |
| November | 1 | 5% | 9 to 17 °C (48 to 63 °F) |
| December | <1 | 1% | 11 to 19 °C (52 to 66 °F) |
Snow in Queenstown in May
In May, Queenstown gets snow on about 2 days, and the month brings about 8% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 6 to 12 °C (43 to 54 °F).
Snow in Queenstown in June
In June, Queenstown gets snow on about 3 days, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 3 to 7 °C (37 to 45 °F).
Snow in Queenstown in July
In July, Queenstown gets snow on about 5 days, and the month brings about 18% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 2 to 7 °C (36 to 45 °F).
Snow in Queenstown in August
In August, Queenstown gets snow on about 4 days, and the month brings about 13% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 2 to 8 °C (36 to 46 °F).
Snow in Queenstown in September
In September, Queenstown gets snow on about 5 days, and the month brings about 23% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 4 to 11 °C (39 to 52 °F).
Snow in Queenstown in October
In October, Queenstown gets snow on about 3 days, and the month brings about 16% of the year's snowfall. Daily temperatures usually run from 6 to 14 °C (43 to 57 °F).
Which winters were snowiest in Queenstown?
Of the last ten winters in Queenstown, 2016 was the snowiest, about 91% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2020, about 52% below average. The biggest single day of snowfall in the record was 11 October 2016.
| Winter | Compared with average | |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 191% of average | |
| 2017 | 57% of average | |
| 2018 | 133% of average | |
| 2019 | 59% of average | |
| 2020 | 48% of average | |
| 2021 | 52% of average | |
| 2022 | 102% of average | |
| 2023 | 112% of average | |
| 2024 | 108% of average | |
| 2025 | 139% of average |
Winters are compared with each other rather than given in centimetres. The ERA5 record is reliable on which winters were big and which were lean, but it underestimates absolute snowfall in the mountains, so the resort's own measured totals are the ones to trust for amounts.
Questions about snow in Queenstown
Does Queenstown have snow in mid-July?
Queenstown had at least 2.5 cm (1 in) of snow on the ground on 12 July in 9 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Fresh snow fell during 5 to 18 July in 8 of those years.
How many days a year does it snow in Queenstown?
It snows on about 25 days a year in Queenstown, counting days with at least 1 cm of snowfall, averaged over 2016 to 2025. September has the most, about 5 days.
What is the snowiest month in Queenstown?
September is the snowiest month in Queenstown, bringing about 23% of the year's snowfall, based on ERA5 reanalysis data for 2016 to 2025.
Which recent winter was the snowiest in Queenstown?
Of the last ten winters in Queenstown, 2016 was the snowiest, about 91% above the ten-year average. The leanest was 2020, about 52% below average.
How cold does Queenstown get in winter?
July is the coldest month in Queenstown, with average daily lows of 2 °C (36 °F) and highs of 7 °C (45 °F).
Snow forecasts near Queenstown
Nearest ski resorts to Queenstown
Sources: Queenstown on Wikidata, Elevation from the Open-Meteo terrain model at the city centre coordinates