Road Travel › Drive weather

Christchurch to Invercargill drive weather

565 km (351 miles), about 6½ hours of driving via SH1. The high point is SH1 north of Dunedin at 376 m (1,234 ft), about 4 h 5 min in.

Distance
565 km
Drive time
~6½ hours
High point
376 m
Country
NZ

Next 7 departures

Leaving Christchurch at 7 AM each day · Updated · Forecast: MET Norway

  1. SunOct 4

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 4–13°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTFog4°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTSunny6°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTSunny8°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTSunny11°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTSunny11°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTSunny11°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTSunny12°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTSunny13°C
  2. MonOct 5

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 4–14°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTFog4°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTPartly sunny5°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTMostly sunny9°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTPartly sunny10°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTMostly sunny11°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTSunny12°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTPartly sunny13°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTMostly sunny14°C
  3. TueOct 6

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 5–15°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTCloudy5°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTPartly sunny9°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTMostly sunny9°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTPartly sunny12°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTMostly sunny12°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTPartly sunny14°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTPartly sunny15°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTCloudy15°C
  4. WedOct 7

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–15°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTPartly sunny11°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTCloudy13°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTCloudy12°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTCloudy14°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTCloudy11°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTCloudy13°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTPartly sunny15°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTRain12°C
  5. ThuOct 8

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–11°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTRain8°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTLight rain7°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTCloudy9°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTPartly sunny8°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTPartly sunny6°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTPartly sunny8°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTMostly sunny9°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTMostly sunny11°C
  6. FriOct 9

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–16°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTPartly sunny7°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTPartly sunny6°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTMostly sunny8°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTMostly sunny10°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTSunny9°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTSunny10°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTPartly sunny13°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTSunny16°C
  7. SatOct 10

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–14°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Christchurch7 AM NZDTPartly sunny9°C
    Ashburton8 AM NZDTSunny6°C
    Timaru9 AM NZDTCloudy6°C
    Ōamaru10 AM NZDTSunny9°C
    SH1 north of Dunedin11 AM NZDTSunny8°C
    Dunedin11:15 AM NZDTSunny10°C
    Balclutha12:15 PM NZDTCloudy14°C
    Invercargill1:45 PM NZDTPartly sunny14°C

The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.

The route, stop by stop

Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Christchurch (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.

SH1 north of Dunedin · 376 m 0 km 565 km
Elevation along the route (Terrain Tiles, sampled every 8 km).
  1. Christchurch, NZStart 10 melevation
  2. Ashburton, NZKm 87 · 1 h 100 melevation
  3. Timaru, NZKm 163 · 1 h 56 min 10 melevation
  4. Ōamaru, NZKm 248 · 2 h 56 min 9 melevation
  5. SH1 north of Dunedin, NZKm 349 · 4 h 5 min 376 melevation
  6. Dunedin, NZKm 360 · 4 h 14 min 18 melevation
  7. Balclutha, NZKm 439 · 5 h 11 min 20 melevation
  8. Invercargill, NZKm 565 · 6 h 38 min 5 melevation

Typical weather by month

Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Christchurch and Invercargill.

MonthChristchurch
37 m
Invercargill
2 m
High / low °CHigh / low °C
Jan23° / 11°19° / 9°
Feb23° / 11°19° / 9°
Mar20° / 9°18° / 7°
Apr17° / 5°15° / 6°
May15° / 3°13° / 4°
Jun12° / 0°10° / 2°
Jul11° / 0°10° / 1°
Aug13° / 1°11° / 2°
Sep15° / 3°13° / 4°
Oct17° / 4°15° / 5°
Nov19° / 7°16° / 7°
Dec21° / 10°18° / 8°

1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): CHRISTCHURCH INTERNATIONAL, NZ (NZM00093781, 37 m); INVERCARGILL AIRPOR, NZ (NZ000093844, 2 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.

Road conditions

Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for New Zealand rather than repeat them.

Check the official forecast from MetService and each road report before you leave.

Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there

Road Travel plans the drive from Christchurch to Invercargill with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Christchurch to Invercargill?

565 km (351 miles), about 6½ hours of driving without stops, by way of SH1. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.

What is the highest point on the drive?

SH1 north of Dunedin, at 376 m (1,234 ft). It comes at km 349, about 4 h 5 min of driving after you leave Christchurch.

How cold is Invercargill in July?

Invercargill averages a high of 10°C and a low of 1°C in July (1991–2020 averages).