Best time to visit Sydney

Anytime: Sydney is considered a year-round destination.

But for warm-weather activities, the best time to visit Sydney is from January to early-March; while anytime from September to early-April is good for a range of general outdoor activities.

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Sydney weather

Sydney enjoys a subtropical oceanic climate with warm summers, from December to March, and mild winters, from June through August. You can expect some rainfall throughout the year.

Coastal regions of Sydney are typically cooler and wetter than the inland suburbs, which are on average dryer and see more extremes in temperature.

What is the best month to visit Sydney?
For warm weather, January and February are the best months to visit Sydney – the climate is perfect with hot, sunny weather, warm sea water for swimming and little rainfall – although there can be the occasional shower.

The months from September through to early-April are all good for a range of outdoor activities – it really depends on what you want to do, since Sydney is considered a year-round destination.

Which is the hottest month in Sydney?
The hottest month in Sydney is usually January, with an average high temperature of 28°C (82°F), with moderate to high heat and humidity and a low of 20°C (68°F).

However, on the warmest days of the month, the temperature may climb to 32°C (89°F).

The warm season lasts from late-November to mid-March, with an average daily high temperature above 26°C (78°F).

Which is the coldest month in Sydney?
The coldest month of the year in Sydney is July, with an average high of 18°C (64°F) and a low of 8°C (46°F).

The cool season lasts from late-May to late-August, with an average daily high temperature below 19°C (66°F).

Which is the sunniest month in Sydney?
The sunniest month in Sydney is usually August, with an average of eight hours of sunshine per day; that's 73% of daylight hours on average.

When is the sea warmest in Sydney?
The sea is usually at its warmest in Sydney in January and February when the water temperature averages 24°C (75°F), which is warm enough for swimming.

You can expect warmer water from early-January through to early-April, with an average temperature above 23°C (73°F).

The time of year with cooler water lasts from mid-June to mid-October, with an average temperature below 19°C (66°F), which is cold for swimming.

 

What is the humidity in Sydney?
Sydney experiences seasonal variation in perceived humidity, with approximate average relative humidity calculated at between 60% – 73% over the course of the year.

What do the humidity conditions feel like in Sydney?
We derive the humidity comfort level – what conditions feel like – from the dew point temperature, which measures moisture content in the atmosphere: a higher dew point feels more humid, while a lower dew point feels drier.

Meteorologists agree that dew point temperature is a more consistant indication of 'absolute humidity' than relative humidity, which fluctuates with temperature. 

The average annual dew point in Sydney is 12°C (53°F), and varies over the course of the year from dry and comfortable at 6°C (43°F) to starting to feel humid at 18°C (64°F).

The more humid time of year in Sydney lasts from December through March, when you can expect the comfort level to be muggy at least 10% of the time.

The months with the most humid days in Sydney are January and February, with 10 days on average in each month that may feel humid.

May through October is generally comfortable, with minimal or no humidity.

 

Which month has the most rain in Sydney?
February is usually the wettest month in Sydney with 122mm (5in) of rainfall on average, distributed across nine days.

Rain falls throughout the year in Sydney. The rainy season lasts from mid-October to early-June, with a greater than 23% chance of a given day being a wet day.

The drier season last from July through to mid-October.

Which is the windiest month in Sydney?
The average hourly wind speed in Sydney does not vary significantly over the course of the year, averaging 13 kilometres (8 mph; 7 knots) to 14 kilometres per hour (8.7 mph; 7.6 knots).

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Sydney – Temperature averages

Weather station: Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), located 8km (5mi) south of Sydney CBD. Source: Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Climate data collected during 1992 to 2021.

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Holiday seasons

High season: Mid-January to mid-April and October to mid-December.

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

Low season: While Sydney is a popular year-round destination, from mid-May to mid-August you find find lower prices on hotel rooms and airline seats.

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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.

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Latest update: Best time to visit Sydney: 20 July, 2024

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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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