Best time to visit Australia

Australia in this dataset covers 5 cities with distinct NASA POWER grid cells (plus nearby cities that share a cell). Annual rainfall among those cities runs from 430 mm in Adelaide to 1100 mm in Brisbane. The monthly-average temperature swing is 8.0–12.6°C depending on the city.

Australia is not one climate: the cities here include a humid subtropical climate; a monsoon climate with a sharp wet-dry split; a mild oceanic climate.

Regional contrasts in Australia

The hottest peak in the sample is Brisbane in January (25.8°C). The coldest monthly average is Melbourne in July (9.8°C). Brisbane takes the most rain (1100 mm a year, wettest in February); Adelaide takes the least (430 mm).

Warmest-month averages in the set range from 20.4°C to 25.8°C. Use the city pages for the month-by-month table; this page is the contrast between places.

Best months by region

Drier cities: typical hottest-month average 23.3°C and about 545 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Adelaide (December, January, and February); Perth (January, March, and December).

In-between rainfall: typical hottest-month average 21.8°C and about 802 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Melbourne (January, February, and March); Sydney (February, March, and December).

Wetter cities: typical hottest-month average 25.8°C and about 1100 mm of rain a year. Best-scoring months — Brisbane (April, September, and October).

Adelaide in Australia

Adelaide sits at -34.93°, 138.60°. It is a humid subtropical climate. January is the warmest month at 22.9°C (high 29.9°C); July is the coolest at 10.3°C (low 6.4°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 12.6°C.

The wet season runs from May to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are December, January, and February. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 1,469,163. The wettest month is July (60 mm, 13 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (15 mm).

Brisbane in Australia

Brisbane sits at -27.47°, 153.03°. It is a monsoon climate with a sharp wet-dry split. January is the warmest month at 25.8°C (high 29.1°C); July is the coolest at 16.3°C (low 12.3°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 9.5°C.

The monsoon runs from November to March. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are April, September, and October. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 2,780,063. The wettest month is February (156 mm, 15 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is September (38 mm).

Melbourne in Australia

Melbourne sits at -37.81°, 144.96°. It is a mild oceanic climate. January is the warmest month at 20.4°C (high 26.0°C); July is the coolest at 9.8°C (low 6.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 10.6°C.

Rainfall totals 715 mm, heaviest in November (74 mm) and lightest in January (45 mm). The three highest-scoring months for a visit are January, February, and March. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 5,435,590. The wettest month is November (74 mm, 10 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is January (45 mm).

Perth in Australia

Perth sits at -31.95°, 115.86°. It is a mild oceanic climate. February is the warmest month at 23.6°C (high 27.0°C); August is the coolest at 15.6°C (low 13.5°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 8.0°C.

The wet season runs from May to August. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are January, March, and December. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 2,384,371. The wettest month is July (128 mm, 15 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is December (12 mm).

Sydney in Australia

Sydney sits at -33.87°, 151.21°. It is a mild oceanic climate. January is the warmest month at 23.2°C (high 25.9°C); July is the coolest at 14.1°C (low 11.7°C). The gap between those monthly averages is 9.1°C.

The wet season runs from February to March. The three highest-scoring months for a visit are February, March, and December. That ranking uses the same 22°C / low-rain / 60% humidity score as the city pages. Population in the GeoNames record is 5,638,830. The wettest month is February (135 mm, 13 days with at least 1 mm); the driest is September (43 mm).