CLIMATE

Australia is a continent that experiences a variety of climates due to its size. The weather can range from below zero temperatures in the Snowy Mountains to intolerable heat in the north-west. It is considered to be one of the driest continents on earth.

The temperate in the south has cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. In the north, a tropical climate prevails with a warm, dry season and a hot, wet season. The extreme north-west experiences the ends of the monsoon systems, while the mountains of the south-east attract seasonal snow to form the Alpine snowfields. The temperatures vary from an average 30 degrees C in midsummer in the Red Centre, to an average of 6 degrees C in the highlands in winter.

Climatic zones that have only two (2) distinct seasons are considered tropical. In Australia’s case, a “wet” or summer season and a “dry” or winter season.

Climatic zones that experience four distinct (4) seasons; spring, summer, winter and fall are considered temperate areas. You should remember that Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere and that it’s seasons are opposite of those experienced in most of the Northern Hemisphere.

Nearly a third of Australia is in the tropics and the rest is in the temperate zone. The coldest areas are in the south-eastern corner of the mainland and Tasmania.

Seasons in Australia
Spring: September - November
Summer: December - February
Fall: March - May
Winter: June - August

Average weather per Capital Cities
Adelaide
Average Temperature (C)           Min            Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                        16               29
Autumn (Mar/May)                           13               23
Winter (Jun/Aug)                               7                15
Spring (Sept/Nov)                            11               22

Brisbane
Average Temperature (C)            Min            Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                         21                29
Autumn (Mar/May)                           17                 27
Winter (Jun/Aug)                             10                 21
Spring (Sept/Nov)                           16                 26

Canberra
Average Temperature (C)           Min               Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                        13                 28
Autumn (Mar/May)                             7                 20
Winter (Jun/Aug)                               0                  11
Spring (Sept/Nov)                            6                   19

Darwin
Average Temperature (C)           Min                Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                       25                   32
Autumn (Mar/May)                         24                    33
Winter (Jun/Aug)                           19                    30
Spring (Sept/Nov)                         25                    33

Hobart
Average Temperature (C)          Min                 Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                       12                   21
Autumn (Mar/May)                            9                   17
Winter (Jun/Aug)                              5                   12
Spring (Sept/Nov)                            8                   17

Melbourne
Average Temperature (C)         Min                 Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                       18                   26
Autumn (Mar/May)                            8                   24
Winter (Jun/Aug)                              6                   15
Spring (Sept/Nov)                            8                   22

Perth
Average Temperature (C)         Min                 Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                      18                    30
Autumn (Mar/May)                         14                    25
Winter (Jun/Aug)                              9                    18
Spring (Sept/Nov)                          12                    22

Sydney
Average Temperature (C)         Min                  Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                      19                     26
Autumn (Mar/May)                         15                     22
Winter (Jun/Aug)                              8                     16
Spring (Sept/Nov)                          13                     22

Alice Springs
Average Temperature (C)         Min                   Max
Summer (Dec/Feb)                      21                      36
Autumn (Mar/May)                        13                       28
Winter (Jun/Aug)                          19                        30
Spring (Sept/Nov)                        25                        33

Time zones in Australia

Australian eastern standard time (AEST)         Greenwich time-
                                                                                      minus 10 hours

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria

Central standard time (CST) AEST                     minus 30 minutes

South Australia, Northern Territory

Western standard time (WST)                           AEST minus 2 hours

Western Australia

Australian daylight saving time (ADST)            AEST plus 1 hour

Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria