a desert landscape with a mountain in the distance

Australia – Climate Guide

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.

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	42.4	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	236.8
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	143.9