Best time to visit Melbourne

Anytime; but for warm-weather activities the best time of year to visit Melbourne is from early-January to early-March. Melbourne is renowned for variable weather conditions best described in the phrase: ‘four seasons in one day’.

January to March is also the driest time of the year; you can expect rain showers throughout the year.


Melbourne weather

Melbourne experiences a subtropical oceanic climate, with mild winters and warm summers.

Summer, from December to mid-March, is pleasantly warm with occasional rainfall. However, summer temperatures often soar beyond 35°C (95°F).

Autumn, from mid-March to late-May, is usually mild becoming progressively cool and wet.

Winter, from May to August, is mild but windy and wet, with an average high of 14°C (57°F) and a low of 6°C (43°F).

Spring, from September to November, is initially cool and then becomes progressively milder. Spring in Melbourne is characteristically windy and wet.


What is the best month to visit Melbourne?
December, January and February are the best months to visit Melbourne, since this is the warmest and driest time of year with warm sunny weather, mainly clear skies and little rainfall.

Which is the hottest month in Melbourne?
The hottest month in Melbourne is usually January, with an average daytime temperature of 27°C (80°F), with moderate heat and humidity, and a low of 14°C (57°F).

However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature may exceed 35°C (95°F).

The warm season lasts from mid-December to mid-March, with an average daily high temperature above 25°C (77°F).

Which is the coldest month in Melbourne?
The coldest month in Melbourne is usually July, with an average high of 13°C (55°F) and a low of 6°C (42°F).

The cool season lasts from late-May to early-September, with an average daily high temperature below 15°C (59°F).

Which is the sunniest month in Melbourne?
The sunniest month of year in Melbourne is usually January, with almost nine hours of sunshine per day; that's an average of 61% of daylight hours.

When is the sea warmest in Melbourne?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Melbourne in February when water temperatures average 19°C (66°F), which is still very cool for swimming.

Which month has the most rain in Melbourne?
April is usually the wettest month in Melbourne with 71mm (3in) of rainfall on average, distributed across eight days.

Rain showers fall throughout the year in Melbourne. The wetter season lasts from mid-April through to late-November, with a greater than 23% chance of rainfall on any given day.

The drier season lasts from late-November to mid-April. The month with the least rainfall in Melbourne is February, with 23mm (1in) of rainfall on average, distributed across three days.

Which is the windiest month in Melbourne?
The windiest month of the year in Melbourne is August, with an average hourly wind speed of 24 kilometres per hour (15 mph; 13 knots).

The windy part of the year lasts from mid-June through to early-November, with average wind speeds of more than 21 kilometres per hour (13 mph; 11 knots).

The less-windy time of year lasts from early-November through to mid-June. The calmest month of the year in Melbourne is May, with an average hourly wind speed of 19 kilometres per hour (12 mph; 10 knots).

The predominant average hourly wind direction in Melbourne varies throughout the year.


Melbourne Weather Averages

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Average high temperature (°C)
27 26 24 20 17 14 13 14 17 20 22 25
Average low temperature (°C)
14 14 13 10 8 6 6 6 7 8 10 12
Average daily sunshine (hrs)
9 8 7 6 5 4 4 5 6 7 7 8
Average daily daylight (hrs)
14 13 12 11 10 9 10 11 12 13 14 14
Comfort level
Low heat & humidity icon Low heat & humidity icon Low heat & humidity icon No heat & humidity No heat & humidity Cold, no heat & humidity Cold, no heat & humidity Cold, no heat & humidity No heat & humidity No heat & humidity Low heat & humidity icon Low heat & humidity icon
Average relative humidity (%)
65 68 70 70 78 81 80 75 69 64 65 63
UV Index (max)
11+ 10 8 5 3 2 2 3 5 7 9 11
Average days of rainfall (≥1mm)
6 3 5 8 8 9 9 10 8 9 7 6
Average monthly rainfall (mm)
57 23 34 71 48 40 38 48 44 64 58 53
Average wind speed (km/h)
23 22 21 20 19 21 22 24 24 24 23 23
Average sea temperature (°C)
18 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 13 14 15 16
Melbourne, VIC

Seasons

High season: November to mid-December and Mid-January to mid-April. During major sporting events including: the Australian Open (last two weeks of January), the Australian Formula One Grand Prix (March), the Australian Rules Grand Final (last Saturday in September) and The Melbourne Cup (first week of November).

Shoulder season: Mid-December to mid-January, mid-April to mid-May, and mid-August to September

Low season: Melbourne is a popular year-round destination, but May to October can often see lower prices on hotel rooms and airline seats.


Source: Meteorological data for Melbourne is based on weather statistics gathered for the 30-year period 2013 to 2024 by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) from the closest weather station: Melbourne Olympic Park WS as well as Melbourne Airport (MEL), located 23km (14mi) northwest of Melbourne CBD.

Advice on the best time to visit a particular destination is based on average local weather statistics, when the weather conditions are generally better than at other times of the year. We consider high and low temperatures, risk of rain (and thunderstorms, etc.), amount of sunshine and sea temperature. For general outdoor activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 18°C (64°F) and 27°C (80°F); and for hot-weather activities we favour clear, rainless days with a temperature range between 24°C (75°F) and 32°C (89°F). Often, the best times to visit correspond to high season and therefore involve higher prices.


More about Melbourne…


Latest update: Best time to visit Melbourne: 15 July, 2024


Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided as is, without any assurances as to its accuracy or suitability for any purpose. Weather data and conditions at any given location and time are unpredictable and variable. We assume no responsibility and can not be held legally responsible for any decisions made on the basis of the information presented on this site.



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