Climate - Australia

Australia, a huge country of more than 7.5 million square kilometers (3 million square miles), crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn, has largely an arid climate, classified as desert or semi-desert, except in the extreme north, where it is tropical (with a rainy and a dry season), and on the southern coasts, where it is more temperate, oceanic or Mediterranean. However, even non-desert areas are subject to sudden increases in temperature, caused by hot and dry winds coming from the desert, sometimes accompanied by sand.
Being in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia has, of course, reversed seasons in comparison with Europe or North America.

Index

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• Arid climate: Outback, Port Hedland, Alice Springs
• Mediterranean climate: Perth, Adelaide
• Tropical climate: Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane
• South-east: Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Australian Alps, Tasmania
• Cyclones
• El Niño and La Niña
• Best Time
• What to pack

Arid climate

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Outback

In the vast area generically called "Outback", the climate is arid: it is considered desert where precipitation drops below 200 mm (8 in) per year (see the area inside the burgundy line) and semi-desert in the area where annual precipitation is between 200 and 400 millimeters (8 and 16 inches) per year (the area within the blue line).
In Australia, there are several deserts, such as the Great Sandy Desert, the Gibson Desert, the Great Victoria Desert, and the Simpson Desert. In this area, there are no large cities and population density is low.
In the semi-desert area (between the burgundy and the blue lines), the rains fall in the form of downpours or thunderstorms in the hottest period, at least in the north-central part, while in the southernmost part they occur mostly in winter. In the most arid area, rain is very rare and sporadic, however, every now and then a thunderstorm may erupt, most likely in summer.
Temperatures vary depending on areas: winter is milder in the northern part, while summer is hot almost everywhere, except in the southernmost part and in the short western coastal stretch.

Port Hedland

On the north-west coast of Western Australia (see Eighty Mile Beach), the heat is intense even along the coast. For example, in Port Hedland, the average daily temperature in January, the hottest month, is 31 °C (88 °F).
At night, the temperature can drop below 10 °C (50 °F) from May to September. The coldest record is 4 °C (39.2 °F) and was set in July 2006.
During the day, the temperature can exceed 40 °C (104 °F) from September to April, and the highest record is 49 °C (120.2 °F), set in January 2008.
Here are the average temperatures in Port Hedland.

Rainfall is scarce in this coastal area, amounting to about 335 mm (13 inches) per year. Here is the average precipitation.

The sea near Port Hedland is warm all year round, but especially from December to April. Here are the average water temperatures.

The Eighty Mile Beach is located north-east of Port Hedland, therefore the sea is slightly warmer in winter. Here the heat is intense from October to April.
In Oodnadatta, in the state of South Australia, the average maximum temperature exceeds 35 °C (95 °F) from December to February. However, the temperature can sometimes exceed 40 °C (104 °F) from September to April, with records of 48 °C (118 °F) in December and January. The climate is milder from May to August, when daytime temperatures are around 20 °C (68 °F) and nights can be cool or even cold (the cold records are around freezing from June to August). Here, only 180 mm (7 in) of rain fall per year.
Further north, the hot period is longer, so much so that highs normally exceed 35 °C (95 °F) from October to March at the Tropic of Capricorn. Some cities are located a few hundred meters (more than one thousand feet) above sea level and are therefore slightly cooler.

Alice Springs

Alice Springs is located in the state of the Northern Territory, just south of the Tropic of Capricorn and practically at the center of Australia. We are in the area of the MacDonnell Ranges and at 500 meters (1,650 feet) above sea level. The city is still hot in summer, though the highest recorded temperature is "only" 45 °C (113 °F). In winter, it can get fairly cold due to the altitude, and at night the temperature can drop to a few degrees below freezing, but during the day, with the sun shining, the temperature rises a lot and the air becomes pleasantly mild. Here are the average temperatures.

Precipitation in Alice Springs amounts to 275 mm (10.8 in) per year, mainly because of the rare showers and thunderstorms in the warm period. Here is the average precipitation.

In Alice Springs, the sun shines all year round. Here are the average sunshine hours.

The best time to visit this arid area is from May to August: it can get cold at night, but at least you avoid the intense heat of the rest of the year.

Mediterranean climate

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In the two southern areas indicated on the map, the climate is Mediterranean, with mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. Their proximity to the ocean makes the summer windy, on the other hand, since they are relatively close to the desert, sometimes heat waves can occur, with highs around 40 °C (104 °F).

Perth

In Perth, Western Australia, the daily average temperature ranges from 13.5 °C (56.5 °F) in July to 25 °C (77 °F) in January and February. In a typical year, 700 mm (27.5 in) of rain fall, most of which occur from May to August, with a maximum of 140 mm (5.5 in) in July, the central month of winter. In Perth, the temperature never drops below freezing, although in the metropolitan area there may be slight frosts at night in the winter months. From November to March, the hot wind from the desert can raise the temperature to around 40 °C (104 °F) for a few days, with peaks of 45 °C (113 °F), but highs are normally around 30/32 °C (86/90 °F) and lively sea breezes blow from the ocean in the afternoon. Here are the average temperatures.

The ocean temperature in Perth is cool all year round, but in general, it becomes acceptable for swimming from January to May, when it reaches 22/23 °C (72/73 °F).

South of Perth, in the south-western tip of Australia, in towns such as Denmark and Pemberton, the rains reach 1,000/1,200 mm (39/47 in) per year, but still with a Mediterranean pattern (ie with rainy winters and dry summers); summers are a bit cooler, but short waves of intense heat are possible here as well.

Adelaide

In Adelaide, South Australia, the climate is similar to that of Perth, although summer is slightly cooler and winter less rainy. The average temperature ranges from 22.7 °C (74 °F) in February to 11.3 °C (52.3 °F) in July. Here, too, the heat of the summer days is cooled by sea breezes, and also, from November to March, short heat waves are possible, with peaks around 40 °C (104 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

In Adelaide, rainfall amounts to 430 mm (17 in) per year, with a maximum in late autumn and winter. Here is the average rainfall.

In Adelaide, the sun normally shines in summer, while in winter there are sunny periods, but also cloudy periods.

The sea in Adelaide is cooler than in Perth, as we can see in the following table. However, in the nearby Spencer Gulf, the sea is a bit warmer than in Adelaide.

The best times to visit these areas that have a Mediterranean climate are spring and autumn, and in particular April-May and September-October, although May and September are quite rainy.

Tropical climate

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The vast northern area of Australia has a tropical climate, with a dry, sunny season ("the dry", usually from May to October) and a rainy and muggy season ("the wet", usually from November to April). Annual rainfall exceeds 400 mm (15.5 in), and it's more abundant along the northernmost and the eastern coasts, where it exceeds 1,200 mm (47 in). The tropical rains mainly occur in the form of downpours or thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening. In the south-eastern part, where Brisbane is located, winter is cooler, so the climate is sub-tropical instead of tropical. In the driest areas, we find savanna-type vegetation, while in the wettest areas of the north-eastern coast we find rainforests.
In the far north, in Arnhem Land and the Cape York Peninsula, the weather is hot and summer-like all year round, while the more you go to the south, the greater the difference is between the seasons.

Darwin

In Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, 1,830 millimeters (72 inches) of rain fall per year, the majority of which occur from November to early April. The rainiest month is January, with 470 mm (18.5 in) of rain. On the contrary, from May to September it almost never rains. Here is the average precipitation.

The heat in Darwin is intense throughout the year, but it's muggy and sweltering in the rainy season, while it's more bearable in the dry season, especially from June to August, when the maximum temperatures are around 31 °C (88 °F). Needless to say, this is the best time to visit this area.

In Darwin, the sun often shines in the dry season, while in the rainy season it can shine for a few hours, but the sky becomes cloudy with a certain frequency.

Cairns

Along the north-eastern coast, in cities like Cairns (Queensland), the rains are abundant, in fact, almost 2,000 mm (80 in) of rain fall annually, including more than 100 mm (4 in) from December to April. Here is the average precipitation.

Here, too, summer is hot and humid, while winter is the driest season. Since it sits more to the south, the city is also more temperate in winter, with a daily average of around 22 °C (72 °F) in July.

In Cairns, the sun shines quite often throughout the year, since the rains, however intense, generally do not last long.

At some distance from the east coast of Queensland, in the Coral Sea (belonging to the Pacific Ocean) we find the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef, up to 2,300 km (1,400 miles) long. In the north-central part of the coast, the sea is warm all year round, as we can see from the water temperatures near Cairns.

Between Cairns and Innisfail, Mount Bellenden Ker is rain-soaked, so much so that at the top, at 1,593 meters (5,226 feet) above sea level, up to 8 meters (315 inches or 26.2 feet) of rain fall every year! Innisfail is the rainiest city in Australia, and it's the only city in the Australian tropical zone not to have a dry season. In fact, even in winter and spring some showers may occur: on average, 3,500 mm (138 in) of rain fall per year, with a maximum of as high as 600 mm (23.5 in) in March and a minimum of 80 mm (3.1 in) in September.

Brisbane

Proceeding towards the south-east along the coast, the temperature gradually decreases, so the climate is more enjoyable. In Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, the summer, from November to March, is hot and moist, with some chance of thunderstorms; however, the sun often shines. Winter, from June to August, is very mild, with average highs around 21/22 °C (70/72 °F) and lows around 9/10 °C (48/50 °F); however, sometimes it can get cold at night, to the point that the temperature can approach freezing. In winter, there are many sunny days, but some rains are possible even in this season. The average rainfall is 1,000 mm (40 in) per year, with a maximum in summer. Every now and then, there is some risk of heavy rainfall in almost all the months of the year, except maybe in August and September. In Brisbane, waves of scorching heat from the desert are rarer than in other cities of Australia, but they are still possible from October to March. Here are the average temperatures.

Near Brisbane, the sea is warm in the summer months: it exceeds 24 °C (75 °F) from December to April, so it's good for swimming, while in winter, from June to September, the sea is cool, around 21 °C (70 °F), but all in all, it's not impossible to enjoy the water.

Winter, from June to August (or September), is the best time to visit this area with a tropical or sub-tropical climate, since it's the least hot and the driest time of the year.

South-east

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In the south-east, in the states of New South Wales and Victoria, the climate is temperate, and the rainfall is generally not abundant, but it's well distributed over the seasons. The weather is cooler in Tasmania and along the southernmost coast, as well as in the hilly and mountainous regions of the extreme south-east.

Canberra

Canberra, the Australian Capital, is located at 600 meters (2,000 feet) above sea level and has an average temperature of 21.5 °C (70.5 °F) in January and 6 °C (43 °F) in July. Summer is therefore not so warm, also because of the altitude, while winter is quite cold, at least by Australian standards (in fact the winter temperatures resemble those of Madrid, Spain), and sometimes it can be foggy. In winter, frosts and even some light snowfalls are possible, but sometimes it can be a bit cold at night even in summer. During summer, from November to February, even here there can be some heatwaves, during which the temperatures can rise to around 40 °C (104 °F). Here are the average temperatures.

Rainfall is not abundant, since it amounts to 580 mm (22.8 in) per year, but the rains are distributed fairly evenly throughout the year; in late spring and summer, the rains are mainly due to thunderstorms that form in the surrounding mountainous area. Here is the average precipitation.

In Canberra, the amount of sunshine is acceptable, though not great. In winter, in fact, there are 5/6 hours of sunshine per day even in June and July, while in summer it is good because, as mentioned, the rains usually occur in the form of downpours or thunderstorms, so they do not last long and the sun is out again after.

Sydney

Sydney, lying on the coast, is much milder, especially in winter: here, the average temperature ranges from 24 °C (75 °F) in January to 13 °C (55.5 °F) in July. Rainfall is fairly abundant, since it amounts to 1,000 millimeters (40 in) per year, and it is well distributed over the seasons, even though the rainiest season is autumn. In summer, the rains can occur in the form of downpours or thunderstorms. The amount of sunshine is acceptable: it is neither great nor poor, as befits a mild oceanic climate, which means that even in winter there can be sunny days. Waves of scorching heat are not so rare, and are possible from November to March, often accompanied by strong gusts of dry wind that can spread fires in the hills surrounding the city.

At Bondi Beach, near Sydney, the sea is pretty cool in winter, while it is warm enough for swimming from January to March, when it reaches 24 °C (75 °F).

Melbourne

Melbourne is located further south, in the state of Victoria, and overlooks a bay (Port Phillip Bay) which opens into the strait that separates Australia from Tasmania (Bass Strait). The latitude is quite low, but the ocean makes the climate mild, in fact, the average temperature ranges from 20.5 °C (68.5 °F) in January and February to 10 °C (49 °F) in July. Here too, sometimes there may be heat waves (which are more intense from November to March), though usually short-lived. Summer is usually pleasantly warm, in fact, the Australian Open tennis tournament is held in January, but there'a rule called Heat Policy, whereby matches are suspended with extremely high temperatures. In summer, the sun frequently shines (though not always), while from May to August there are 4/5 hours of sunshine per day. The rains are not abundant, reaching only 600 mm (23.5 in) per year, but they are well distributed, with a relative minimum in summer.

The sea temperature in Melbourne is significantly lower than in Sydney, it's also a bit lower than in Adelaide, and remains quite cool even in the summer months.

Australian Alps

In south-eastern Australia, between Melbourne and Canberra, there is a mountain range, called Australian Alps; the highest mountain in the chain and across Australia is Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches 2,228 meters (7,310 feet). This area is humid and rainy, cold in winter, even snowy above 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), and cool in summer.
There are also resorts equipped for winter sports.
Here are the average temperatures of Thredbo, located at 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) above sea level.

Tasmania

Further south we find Tasmania, the southernmost island, which, being exposed to the westerly winds, has an oceanic climate, though mild; rainfall is more abundant in the west, where it exceeds 1,200 mm (47 in) per year. The capital, Hobart, is located in the eastern part and receives only 565 mm (22.2 in) of rain, which, however, is well distributed throughout the year, and occurs in the form of frequent showers or drizzles.
The average temperature ranges from 8.5 °C (47.5 °F) in July to 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) in January and February, so winter is mild and summer is cool. Every now and then during winter, though, a cold air mass can reach the island, and snowfall can occur in inland hills and mountains. On the other hand, in summer, even Tasmania can sometimes be reached by the hot wind from the desert, although by the time this wind reaches Tasmania it is generally weakened. Here are the average temperatures in Hobart.

The temperature of the sea in Tasmania is cold all year round, and it reaches at most 17 °C (63 °F) in February and March in the southern part (see Hobart) and 18 °C (64 °F) in the north.

You can visit this area of south-east Australia in spring and autumn, that is, in April-May and September-October (or even March-April and October-November in Tasmania), with a preference for spring, since autumn (April-May) is often rainy.

Cyclones

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Australia can be affected by tropical cyclones, intense low-pressure areas that are formed when the sea is very warm, and is therefore able to provide enough energy. Cyclones bring strong winds and torrential rains and affect mainly the northern coasts, although sometimes they can penetrate the interior (especially in Western Australia), weakening along the way but still bringing heavy rains. Cyclones are generally formed between mid-November and mid-May, but the phenomenon is more likely from January to mid-April.
In the following image, we can see the areas that have been affected by cyclones in the period 1950-2005 (the points refer to the eye of the cyclone, so the affected area is larger).

El Niño and La Niña

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Australia's climate is also affected by the phenomenon known as El Niño, which is more or less associated with severe drought throughout the country, particularly along the north and east coast, where it reduces the summer rains, and in the south, where droughts are accompanied by hot winds from the desert, which can cause fires.
The opposite phenomenon, La Niña, brings rainfall that is more abundant than usual in the north and east, especially in spring and summer, and also an increase in the number of cyclones.

Best Time

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If you plan to visit all of Australia, not just the south but also the vast arid Outback and the tropical north, you may prefer winter, from June to August, which allows you to avoid the heat, which can be intense in the other seasons, especially in the north-central, and in summer in the south. Going in winter would also permit you to avoid the rains (and sometimes the cyclones) that can affect the north in summer. Of course, winter in the south is quite cold, it can be very rainy in Perth and in western Tasmania, but if you don't like the heat this is the best solution.
If you intend to visit mainly the southern areas, where the major cities are located, and maybe you want to make a quick tour to the central and northern regions, trying to avoid the heat as much as possible, you can choose spring and autumn, and in particular April-May or September-October.
You can visit the southern areas also in late spring and summer, especially in November-December in Sydney, and from November to February in Melbourne, taking into account that sometimes there may be some scorching days.

What to pack

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Winter (June to August): in the tropical north and Darwin, bring lightweight clothing of natural fibers, a hat for the sun, a scarf for the breeze, and a light sweatshirt for the evening and air-conditioned places.
In the desert, bring spring/autumn clothes (light for the day), a sweater, a wind jacket, a warm jacket for the night, and a scarf for the sand.
In the north-east (see Cairns, Innisfail), pack light clothes for the day, a sweatshirt for the evening, and possibly a raincoat for the rain showers. When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
In the center-south and the major cities, pack spring/autumn clothes, a sweater, a warm jacket for the evening and for windy days, and a raincoat or umbrella. In the southern mountains, bring warm clothes, such as a fleece, a down jacket, and gloves. In Canberra and Tasmania, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a down jacket, and a hat.

Summer (December to February): in the tropical north and Darwin, and in the north-east down to Brisbane, bring lightweight clothing of natural fibers, a scarf for the breeze, a light sweatshirt for the evening and for air-conditioned places, and a light raincoat for thunderstorms. When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
For the desert, bring lightweight, loose-fitting clothing made of natural fabric (cotton or linen), a desert turban, sunglasses, a light sweatshirt for the evening, a sweatshirt for the night, a sleeping bag for outdoor overnight stays, and desert boots.
In the center-south and the major cities, pack light clothing, a sweatshirt for the breeze and for cool days, a scarf for the wind-borne sand and dust, possibly a light jacket and an umbrella, especially in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne. For Tasmania, spring/autumn clothes, a sweater, and a jacket.