Melbourne Weather and Climate Information for Visitors

Overview

Melbourne, one of the country's commercial powerhouses and famed for its combination of commercial interests with a large amount of greenery, has a moderate oceanic climate and is renowned for its highly variable weather conditions due to its geographic location on an intersection of hot inland region mixing with cold Southern sea climes. This temperature variation can cause a wide variety of weather phenomena including gales, severe thunderstorms, sudden large temperature drops, and heavy rain. Melbourne is colder than most other Australian capital cities, with the extremes experienced in the colder months more pronounced than the other major centres of population. Its' generally cooler climate has proved ideal and also made the region famed for the growth of verdant wine vineyards located within its copious nearby valleys and hillsides.

Temperatures and Rainfall

The cooler mainland climates of Melbourne can contrast strongly with its often-hot Summers; the cold fronts that often form over the region lead to a high level of rainfall in the Winter months compared to relatively dry Summers and early Autumns. The yearly average maximum temperature for Melbourne is approximately 19.8°C (67.6°F) while the minimum average hovers around 10.2°C (50.4°F), indicative of its cooler climate in comparison to the other mainland capitals.

Rainfall tends to come in heavy bursts throughout the Melbourne region, with comparatively narrow downpours of heavy showers that are isolated to specific areas of the city being affected while the surrounding suburbs remain dry. Sudden, heavy showers that may contain hail are also not uncommon in Melbourne, but tend to pass quickly with the weather recovering speedily to clear, pre-downpour conditions.

Seasons

With its temperate, although slightly cooler, climate, Melbourne is rarely either unbearably hot or unreasonably cold, however its seasons are far more distinct than some of its' Northern brothers (for example the Gold Coast.) You will notice visible changes in the surrounds and scenery from season to season, as they are clearly defined and give rise to natural beauty and charms. A summary of each Melbourne season can be viewed below:

Summer

While Melbourne's Summers are generally slightly cooler on average than other cities, it is also prone to random, unpredictable spikes of high heat, with record temperatures exceeding 45 degrees celsius. Thankfully, these occurrences are rare, and the typical Summer day is warm and sunny with a bracing sea breeze that arrives from the South in the afternoons. Melbourne's lack of consistent consecutive scorching days make it far more conducive to physical activity in Summer than the hotter cities; an ideal time to experience the surrounding waterways, or soak up some sunshine in the city's beautiful natural surrounds.

Autumn

One of the most popular times to visit Melbourne due to its proliferation of deciduous trees and the vibrant colours they produce, Autumns in Melbourne always make for an enchanting experience that add to its general cosmopolitan, "European" atmosphere. The days are generally fine and the nights mild and pleasant, with occasional fog occurring in the early morning but later clearing to another sunny day. The beautiful gardens the city is famous for wear their Autumn colours well, with the combination of deciduous and evergreen trees providing an impressive range of visual contrasts to enjoy; a tour around the city either by foot, car, bus or tram during this season will lead to a magical experience.

Winter

Like Sydney, Melbourne does not receive snow, however the first frosts of the year will begin to form, along with fog on most mornings. The weather will be fairly cold, often accompanied by spells that is both fine and calm. Many days are cloudy, and nights are cold with the lowest temperatures usually being recorded in June or July as several very cold days are strung together in succession and cloud cover persists. Rain falls on average during this season on every second day, meaning having either a coat or an umbrella on hand is a wise choice.

Spring

Springs in Melbourne are one of the most changeable season/geographic area combinations in all of Australia, with highs, lows, warms, colds and everything in between happening in successive days. The start of Spring also tends to be the windiest time of year, with strong winds blowing from the North on warmer days, or stronger and colder South-West winds accompanied by showers. As the season progresses the drizzle and cloud gives way to warm sunny days and cold showery days that may follow each other rapidly - the range of temperatures in Melbourne's springtime is so great that the warmest day often reaches a maximum of 34 degrees while the coldest receives a max of 16! On the sunnier days, be sure to check out Melbourne's huge range of gardens and parks.