Weather and Clothing

Weather can affect you and your family during the adjustment period while settling into Melbourne or Australia. Some may get used to a much warmer climate. Some may get used to colder weather. Getting to know what the weather is like in Melbourne can help you prepare and feel more settled.

Climate, Seasons and What Clothes to Wear

There are four seasons in Victoria; it experiences warm to hot summers, mild to cool autumns, cool to cold winters and balmy cool springs. Although there are four seasons in Victoria, the climate varies greatly across the state, with the north experiencing much drier and warmer weather than the south.

The changing of seasons in Melbourne is renowned for starting late. There is a misconception that Melbourne is a rainy city, which is statistically unfounded as Melbourne only receives 50 percent of the average rainfall of either Brisbane or Sydney. It is more accurate to say that Melbourne doesn’t have a rainy season, but the weather can be highly unpredictable.

Summer: December to February

Temperatures: from 21ºC to 34ºC, average 28ºC

Hot spells can exceed 40ºC, especially in February.

Day light: 14-15 hours

Suitable attire: light summer shirts and jumpers/sweater, shorts, light casual pants, sandals and water proof shoes. Wear sunscreen with Sun Protector Factor (SPF) 30+ against UV rays and skin cancer.

 Autumn: March to May

Temperatures: from 11ºC to 19ºC, average 17ºC

Cloudy, showery weather, usually increases towards the end of autumn.

Day light: 10-13 hours

Suitable attire: light jumpers, jeans, waterproof shoes and jackets, and an umbrella.

 Winter: June to August

Temperatures: from -1ºC to 12ºC, average 8ºC

Heavy snowfalls up in the mountains and light snowfalls in the outlying hills with none in the city.

Day light: 10 hours

Suitable attire: warm jumpers, thick waterproof coats, scarves, gloves, jeans/warm slacks, warm waterproof shoes, and an umbrella.

 Spring: September to November

Temperatures: from 10ºC to 20ºC, average 17ºC

Cloudy overcast and gusty winds, and an average of 5.8 hours of sunshine a day, usually in the beginning of spring. Warms up towards the end of the season, but sometimes a full range of weather can be experienced in a matter of days.

Day light: 12-14 hours

Suitable attire: light jumpers, t-shirts, light casual pants and jeans, water proof shoes and jacket.

For an overview of the weather pattern of Victoria for each month, visit:

www.melbourneaustralia.org/climate.html.

For more specific information about the weather in each Australian city, please refer to the following website:

www.bom.gov.au