Climate
Dunedin has a moderate climate year-round, with a relatively low average annual rainfall, despite being often cloudy and a bit drizzly. Temperatures reach 20°C–25°C (68°F–77°F) in the summer months (Dec–Feb), peaking in February. Winter (June–Aug) brings some frost and very occasional snow, and the temperature drops to between 9°C–12°C (48°F–53°F), whilst autumn and spring temperatures hover around 55°F–63°F (12°C–17°C).
Special Events
Dunedin has an all-year program of festivals and events. To find out about them, check at the visitor center.
The Dunedin Summer Festival in February and March presents themed weekends, exhibitions, outdoor concerts, family activities, and sporting and cultural events. At the same time is the id Dunedin Fashion Show (www.id-dunedinfashion.com), where the city's many designers showcase their work on the Dunedin Railway Platform in front of international media. In May, the Regent Theatre 24-Hour Book Sale (tel. 03/477-6481) offers up over 300,000 volumes in the country's largest sale of secondhand books. It all started as a way to raise funds for the theater's restoration, and it's become a successful, established event filled with fun, live entertainment, and great bargains. In the third week of October, Dunedin Rhododendron Festival celebrates the exotic beauty of Dunedin's most famous flower. A happy combination of soil and climate makes the city one of the finest rhododendron-growing areas in the world. More information about Rhododendron Week and its private garden tours is available by calling tel. 03/474-3300 or visiting www.rhododunedin.co.nz.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
