What's the weather like in Australia?
There's no specific climate that works for the whole of Australia with each state and territory experiencing different weather patterns and seasonal shifts throughout the year. Most of the country enjoys four seasons during the year - summer, autumn, winter, and spring - except for the far northern states (Northern Territory and far north Queensland) which typically experience a wet and a dry season.
However, the climate of Australia is ruled by the country's size and the air that comes off the subtropical high-pressure belt that moves in a north-westerly direction and then in a north-easterly one with the seasons. Because of the country's large geographical size, it actually experiences a mixture of climates including a desert or semi-arid climate (central Australia with parts of Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory), a temperate climate (Victoria and New South Wales), and a tropical climate (Northern Territory and Queensland) that includes both rainforest and desert areas.
The likes of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania generally experience cold to freezing winters and warm to hot summers with a few exceptions here and there (Tasmania gets colder than the other states listed due to its proximity to Antarctica). While the rest of the country experiences warm, mild winters and hot, humid, and rainy summers.
When is the best time to visit Australia?
There is no best time to visit Australia as each state offers something different in every season. For example, if you don't want to be in the tropical northern part of the country during summer (rainy, cyclone season), you can always head down the east coast towards New South Wales and Victoria and make the most of the country's stunning beaches. When it starts getting a bit too cold, make your way to Western Australia and the Northern Territory to wander around some of Australia's most fascinating natural landmarks (Uluru, we're looking at you) and picturesque national parks.
While there's no particular 'popular' season to travel in Australia, school holidays are scheduled during summer between December and January so most beachy, coastal destinations and other popular tourist cities/spots will be more crowded than usual. This also means that availability is low if you haven't booked accommodation and activities well in advance and flight prices can also increase to keep up with demand during this time so be wary of that when planning out your itinerary.
Average temperatures in Australia
Temperatures in Victoria
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
21°C |
9°C |
|
June to August |
14°C |
5°C |
|
September to November |
20°C |
7°C |
|
December to February |
27°C |
12°C |
Temperatures in New South Wales
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
24°C |
13°C |
|
June to August |
16°C |
6°C |
|
September to November |
26°C |
13°C |
|
December to February |
33°C |
20°C |
Temperatures in Queensland
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
30°C |
19°C |
|
June to August |
24°C |
12°C |
|
September to November |
33°C |
20°C |
|
December to February |
36°C |
25°C |
Temperatures in the Northern Territory
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
32°C |
20°C |
|
June to August |
26°C |
14°C |
|
September to November |
35°C |
22°C |
|
December to February |
37°C |
25°C |
Temperatures in Western Australia
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
26°C |
13°C |
|
June to August |
19°C |
8°C |
|
September to November |
23°C |
11°C |
|
December to February |
31°C |
17°C |
Temperatures in South Australia
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
23°C |
12°C |
|
June to August |
16°C |
7°C |
|
September to November |
24°C |
11°C |
|
December to February |
30°C |
16°C |
Temperatures in Tasmania
|
MONTH |
AVERAGE HIGH |
AVERAGE LOW |
|
March to May |
11°C |
2°C |
|
June to August |
6°C |
-1°C |
|
September to November |
9°C |
1°C |
|
December to February |
15°C |
5°C |
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