Australia weather varies greatly from region to region, thanks to the country’s enormous size, with temperatures ranging from the bellow freezing conditions in the Snowy Mountains to the stifling heat of its north-west part. With 40% of the country covered in sand dunes and with the second lowest rainfall in the world after Antartica, Australia weather is considered to be of the desert or semi arid variety, although conditions along the coastline are a lot milder. Weather in Australia is also characterised by extremities: while cyclones are a regular occurrence along the coast, inland Australia often feels the devastating effects of drought and bushfires.

A continent in all but name, Australia nestles between the Indian and South Pacific Oceans in the Southern Hemisphere, with its seasons opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere. The sixth largest country in landmass in the world, Australia is also one of the driest with little or none at all snow fall, expect the Australian Alps, across the New South Wales and Victorian border, where the skiing season starts in June and ends in October. Because of the peculiarities of Australia weather, the most pleasant seasons are by far spring and autumn, with the notable of exception of Tasmania, whose close proximity to Antarctica makes summer the most enjoyable time of the year.

Rainfall

Rainfall patters in Australia are greatly influenced by seasonal changes. Despite being a largely dry continent, parts of Australia enjoy abundant rainfall, while others are stifled by the lack of it. Since it’s not uncommon for droughts to last for several seasons in row, extensive utilisation of ground water resources and the extensive development of dams, reservoirs, large tanks and other storage facilities have been put in practise to counteract the problem. Tasmania is the wettest state by far followed by Victoria and parts of Queensland.

Snow

Although there have been reports of snow falling in the mountains of South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland, ski aficionados are best advised to consider the mountains of Victoria, Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Tasmania to indulge their hobby. Snow at sea level is more likely to occur in Tasmania, although on the (very) rare occasion, snow can fall on mainland Australia as well. In 1951, 1986 and 2005 snow has fallen as low as Hobart, Melbourne's outer mountain suburbs, Canberra and Sydney, a direct result of cold winds drifting from Antarctica.

South-eastern temperate region

As mentioned earlier, weather in Australia is considered to be largely desert-like or semi arid with large parts of the country lying south of the Tropic of Capricorn, although a temperate climate is the prevailing factor in the south-east and south-west corners, while Australia’s northern part has more of a tropical type of weather.

Spanning from Ceduna in South Australia along the coast to the town of Forster in New South Wales, the south-eastern temperate zone – also referred to as oceanic weather – has warm summers and mild winters with temperatures averaging around the 20°C mark. During recent times the area has been affected by global warming and is occasionally affected by both drought and flooding spells. Typically the coldest month is July and the January the hottest.

Central arid region

The largest proportion of Australia’s deserts can be found in the central and north-western part of the country, and cover 2.3 million square km (1.3 million square miles) in total. Most importantly, around three quarters of the country lie within a desert or semi-arid zone, a fact that has an imposing effect on Australia’s weather. Unsurprisingly, average rainfall levels are low while thunderstorms are rather common, with the area experiencing around 15-20 thunderstorms per year. Daytime temperatures during the summer season fluctuate between 32 to 40 °C (90 to 104 °F), and in winter they fall to 18 to 23 °C (64 to 73 °F). 

Australian Capital Territory

Situated at considerable distance from the coast and with an elevation of 650m above sea level, the Australian Capital Territory – and unlike other Australian regions with climates moderated by the sea – experiences a wealth of contradicting weather conditions. Notorious for its hot and dry summers and cold winters often intercepted by fog and frost, Canberra is also distinguished by the notable differences in its four seasons. During the winter season, many of the territory’s south-west mountains are white-washed with snow although during the same time rainfall is at its lowest. Thunderstorms make their frequent appearances between the months of October and March, and rain falls mainly during the spring and summer season.

New South Wales

Lying in the temperate zone, New South Wales enjoys perhaps the most balanced conditions amongst the many variations of Australia weather, with a mostly mild, almost Mediterranean and sunny climate, generally free from extreme heat and cold.
The state’s north-west usually experiences the greatest heat, while the Snowy Mountains are without doubt the coldest, with long lasting winter frosts and cold.

Northern Territory

Northern Territory is under the influence of two distinctive climate zones. There’s a mostly tropical savanna type of weather in Darwin and the wider northern end area, with high humidity and wet (November to April) and dry (May to October) seasons. Days are sunny and warm almost throughout the dry season, while during the coolest months (June and July) temperatures hardly ever drop bellow 14 °C (57 °F). Tropical cyclones and monsoon rains are likely to occur during the wet season, and thunderstorms with spectacular lighting displays penetrate the skies during the summer hemisphere summer season (December to March).

Meanwhile, the central region which includes the town of Alice Springs and the famous Ayers Rock also form the desert centre of Australia. Here the weather is semi-arid with the hottest months of the year (October to March) receiving the little rain that falls in the area. Needless to say, the heat is scorching. 

Queensland

Enormous in size, Queensland experiences a multitude of weather conditions across its borders. Weather in the inland west part of the state is dominated by hot summers and low rainfall, warm temperate conditions are the trademark of the strip along Queensland’s coastline, while in the far north conditions change to monsoonal wet.

The lowest temperatures are experienced in the inland and southern areas, with the warm ocean waters having an undisputed effect on the weather along the coastal strip, not only providing the necessary moisture so vital to rainfall but also keeping the area free of extreme temperature fluctuations.

As a general rule though, winters in Queensland are warm with little rainfall, while the summers rather sticky and hot, receiving a lot more precipitation.

South Australia

The weather in South Australia is often described as close to that mostly associated with the Mediterranean region, a sentiment that rings true only as far as the southern parts of the state are concerned. For example, one can be forgiven for mistaking Adelaide for a city snuggled against the Mediterranean coast, especially since it boasts of warm summers and short and mild winters, offering ample opportunities to enjoy the best outdoors Australia has to offer, but on the north of the state conditions are anything but perfect: scorching heat during the day, and freezing cold at night. Meanwhile, in Coober Pedy, an area 863km (536 miles) northwest of Adelaide the temperature rises all the way up to a sizzling 50°C (122°F).
In contrast, spring and autumn are considerably milder and pleasant. Winter – in Australia’s case the months between June and August – is the wettest season.

Tasmania

Because of its closeness to Antarctica, Tasmania is by far the coolest state in Australia, with four easily distinguished seasons. Lasting from December to February summer in Tasmania tends to be warm rather than hot while during autumn – March to May – one can be a witness to summer slowly handing over the reigns to the approaching signs of winter. Most high lying areas of Tasmania are subject to snowfall during the winter season (June and July), a time that is also the wettest of the year, and wind breezes coming in from the coast dominate proceedings during spring.

Victoria

Despite its small size, Victoria experiences a variety of weather conditions, ranging from temperate and cool along the coast to semi-arid and hot in the north-west. As a matter of fact it’s not uncommon – and anyone that has ever visited Melbourne, Victoria’s capital city, will undoubtedly testify to that – four all four seasons of the year to make their grand appearance within the same day!

Situated at Australian’s southernmost position, Victoria is the coolest and wettest of all mainland states, and second only to Tasmania which is of course an island. The mildest weather of the state can be experienced around the coastal plain south of the Great Dividing Range, while the hot winds blowing from nearby desserts convert Mallee and upper Wimmera as Victoria’s warmest areas. Melbourne, as like most other major cities in the area, is located in the temperate region, where thanks to the influence of the air coming through the Southern Ocean the heat of summer is considerably reduced, as is the cold of winter. Average temperatures top 30 °C (86 °F) during summer and 15 °C (59 °F) in winter.

Part of the Great Dividing Range mountain system, the Victorian Alps in the northeast of the state, is undoubtedly Victoria’s coldest with average winter temperatures registering lower than 9 °C (48 °F), while in the highest parts of the ranges conditions fall bellow freezing point.

Western Australia

Western Australia is the biggest in size Australian state, covering an area almost half of the whole country. It should come as no surprise then to learn that it also experiences the most diverse of Australia weather. To best fathom the peculiarities of the weather in Western Australia, we should divide the region into three easily distinguishable zones. Lying within the semi-arid zone, the central part of Western Australia is mostly occupied by deserts. Northern parts of Western Australia enjoy a more tropical type of weather, with a sunny and dry season April to September) that has a balanced temperature distribution through out the day (hot days and mild evening), and a wet season (October to March) that’s humid and experiences heavy rainfalls and frequent thunderstorms. Perth, Western Australia’s capital city is located at the south end of the state enjoying a very low rate of humidity.

Copyright © Advert Network