Australia Climate

Australia enjoys temperate weather for most of the year but the climate varies hugely due to the vast size of the continent. The northern states typically experience warm weather much of the time, with the southern states experiencing cooler winters.

Australia is also one of the driest continents on earth with an average annual rainfall of less than 600 millimetres. Like all countries in the southern hemisphere, Australia’s seasons are opposite to those in the northern hemisphere. December to February is summer; March to May is autumn; June to August is winter; and September to November is spring.

No matter what time of year you visit Australia, the sun can be extremely powerful and it’s important to guard against sunburn and dehydration. A high factor sunscreen, a sun hat, sunglasses and plenty of water are essential.

To learn more about the particular climate in each place visited on our Australia tours, click on the links below.

Melbourne
Adelaide
Alice Springs
Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Cairns
Sydney

Seasons:
Summer = December – March
Autumn = March – June
Winter = June – September
Spring = September – December

Melbourne
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 25.9 25.8 23.9 20.3 16.7 14.1 13.5 15 17.2 19.7 22 24.2 19.8
Mean Min °C 14.3 14.6 13.2 10.8 8.7 6.9 6 6.7 8 9.5 11.2 12.9 10.2
Mean Rain mm 47.1 48 50.1 57.3 55.7 49.5 47.5 50 58 66 60.3 59.1 648.3
Median Rain mm 36.8 32.1 38.6 49.6 54.9 42.5 44.4 49.1 52.8 67 53 51.6 644.2
Mean Rain days 8.3 7.4 9.4 11.7 14.6 15.4 16.2 16.1 14.9 14.1 11.7 10.4 149.2

 

Adelaide
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 29.4 29.4 26.4 22.7 19 16.1 15.3 16.7 19.1 22 25.3 27.1 22.3
Mean Min °C 17.2 17.3 15.3 12.5 10.3 8.2 7.5 8.2 9.8 11.5 14 15.6 12.2
Mean Rain mm 18.9 15.8 27 40.1 60.7 80.6 77.5 69 58.4 42.2 30.3 28.1 548.6
Median Rain mm 20.1 6.8 19 33.6 56.8 76.8 68.8 69.2 58 37 30.3 23.8 527
Mean Rain Days 4.4 3.6 5.8 7.9 12 14.8 16.2 16 13.3 9.9 8 6.9 118.7

 

Alice Springs
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 36.4 35 32.6 28.2 23.1 19.8 19.7 22.7 27.4 31 33.7 35.4 28.7
Mean Min °C 21.5 20.7 17.5 12.6 8.2 5 4 6 10.4 14.8 17.9 20.2 13.2
Mean Rain mm 38.5 43.9 31.8 17.3 18.7 13.5 15.5 8.9 8.2 20.8 28.5 36.8 282.7
Median Rain mm 13.5 13.7 9.7 1.3 6.6 3.9 2.6 2.2 1.5 17.8 19.1 23.3 236.9
Mean Rain Days 4.7 4.7 3.3 2.2 3 2.7 2.7 1.9 2.3 4.5 5.5 5.9 42.9

 

Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 38.5 36.8 34.2 29.9 24.3 20.3 20.6 23.7 28.9 32.3 34.9 36.4 30
Mean Min °C 22.7 22.1 19.1 14.4 9.3 5.5 4.4 5.8 10.7 14.8 18.3 20.8 13.9
Mean Rain mm 28.5 43.8 40.4 17.1 14.5 19.1 19.1 4.5 7.9 23.2 38 42.8 299.4
Median Rain mm 13.5 7.2 7 3.2 0.6 3.4 4.6 1.8 2.6 11.9 29.1 37 220
Mean Rain Days 4.6 4.5 2.9 2.3 2.6 2.7 2.6 1.3 2.3 3.9 5.8 6.2 38.5

 

Cairns
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 31.5 31.2 30.5 29.2 27.6 26 25.7 26.6 28.1 29.5 30.7 31.5 29
Mean Min °C 23.7 23.8 23.1 21.6 19.9 17.9 17.1 17.4 18.7 20.6 22.3 23.4 20.8
Mean Rain mm 394.3 448.9 424.2 198.3 91.4 45.6 29.2 26.7 33.4 46 93.7 175.9 2003.1
Median Rain mm 339 402.8 377.7 166.9 84.8 34 24.1 17.6 18.7 28.2 62.8 124.8 1960.8
Mean Rain Days 18.4 19 19.4 17.7 13.8 9.6 8.9 7.9 7.5 8.3 10.5 13.8 153.2

 

Sydney
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ann
Mean Max °C 25.9 25.8 24.8 22.4 19.5 17 16.3 17.8 20 22.1 23.6 25.2 21.7
Mean Min °C 18.7 18.8 17.6 14.7 11.6 9.3 8.1 9 11.1 13.6 15.6 17.5 13.8
Mean Rain mm 101.1 118 129.7 127.1 119.9 132 97.4 80.7 68.3 76.9 83.9 77.6 1211.9
Median Rain mm 78.6 93.6 96.6 91.5 90.8 99.8 74.7 54.7 51.9 55.6 66.8 58.4 1158.7
Mean Rain Days 12.2 12.5 13.6 12.9 13.2 12.7 11.2 10.4 10.6 11.6 11.7 11.5 143.6