What Is The Coldest Month In Melbourne?

Melbourne is a city that experiences four seasons. So what's the coldest month in Melbourne? We've got you covered!  Here are some of the coldest months to be aware of if you live in Melbourne, Australia: December, January, July and August. Make sure to pack your winter clothes for these months because they can get really chilly outside. 

You'll need gloves, scarves or beanies and thick jackets during this time period. It will also help to bring an umbrella with you when walking out in case it starts raining unexpectedly! Remember to dress appropriately for each season so that you're not caught off guard by what Mother Nature has planned for us next!

Do you know what the coldest month in Melbourne is? Is it winter or autumn? This blog post will explore the coldest months in Melbourne and provide tips on how to keep your home warm. 

The coldest month in Melbourne is usually July, with an average temperature of 16°C. The hottest months are January and February, with an average temperature of 26°C. If you're looking for a way to save money on heating costs this winter, consider investing in some quality insulation for your home. It's important that you get up to date with any maintenance work needed before winter sets in too.

Weather in Melbourne: Climate, Seasons, and Average Monthly Temperature

Despite Australia's reputation as a sunny coastal paradise, Melbourne's southern location means it experiences large seasonal variations between hot and cold temperatures. Its most noteworthy quality is the unpredictable bursts of sun, wind, and rain, no matter the season. The city famously inspired the classic Crowded House song "Four Seasons in One Day," and locals are always prepared with a sweater or an umbrella on hand.

As Australia is located in the southern hemisphere, Melbourne's seasons are the opposite to those in the U.S. Summer (December to February) can be quite warm, with high temperatures ranging from 78 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) to 82 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius). 

This is also the peak tourist season in Melbourne for domestic travellers. On the other hand, high rainfall in November and December often make the city feel muggy, with humidity reaching 60 percent. Although it is not a stereotypical Australian beach city, Melbourne does offer plenty of sandy stretches around Port Phillip bay on which to sunbathe.

The winter months (June, July and August) are certainly cool compared to Sydney and Brisbane but still bearable if you come prepared, with temperatures dipping to 44 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius).

Due to its temperamental climate, visitors to Melbourne should plan their trip to coincide with the more moderate days of spring and fall if possible. The most important events and festivals also occur during these seasons.

Fast Climate Facts

• Hottest Month: January (79 degrees Fahrenheit / 26 degrees Celsius) 
• Coldest Month: July (56 degrees Fahrenheit / 13 degrees Celsius)
• Wettest Month: October (2.6 inches)
• Best Month for Swimming: January (66 degrees Fahrenheit / 19 degrees Celsius)

In Melbourne, a city of southern Australia and the capital of the state of Victoria, the climate is subtropical oceanic, with mild winters and pleasantly warm summers.

Although it has a mild climate, Melbourne is subject to temperature swings because it can be reached both by cold air masses from the sea surrounding Antarctica and by hot and dry air masses from the Australian desert. In addition, the city is located enough to the south to be affected by the flow of westerly winds, which bring low pressure systems for several months a year. As a result, the weather is often variable, so much so that it is said that the four seasons can be experienced on the same day.

The wind is quite frequent, too, since the westerlies regularly blow for most of the year, while in summer, when the weather is sunny, the sea breeze blows in the afternoon. Not coincidentally, around Melbourne, there are several beaches frequented by surfers.

Rainfall is not abundant since it amounts to 650 millimetres (25.5 inches) per year, but it is well distributed over the seasons, so there is no real dry season. However, the least rainy season is summer.

From late May to August, winter is mild but also quite windy (the wind can increase the feeling of cold) and with quite frequent rains. However, there may also be some sunny days between one disturbance and another. The average temperature of the coldest month, July, is 9.5 °C (49 °F). Very cold days are rare: at most, the night temperature can drop to the freezing point.

From September to November, Spring is initially cool and then becomes progressively milder. However, due to the clash between air masses, spring is quite rainy and windy.

From December to mid-March, summer is pleasantly warm since the maximum temperature is usually about 24/26 °C (75/79 °F). Nights are cool, actually, they can sometimes be a bit cold since lows can drop to 8/10 °C (46/50 °F). The sun often shines, the wind blows frequently, and although it is the least rainy season, low pressure systems can still affect this area, bringing rainfall. In addition, some short thunderstorms can break out.

Although the summer is normally not hot, and sometimes can be cool, at times, there can be heatwaves, when the winds blow from the north, ie from the red-hot Australian desert. If the heat wave is not too intense, the temperature remains about 30/35 °C (86/95 °F), otherwise, it can sometimes exceed 40 °C (104 °F). For example, in January 2014, the temperature exceeded 40 °C (104 °F) for 5 days, including 4 days in a row with a maximum of 44 °C (111 °F), but a few days before the heat wave, the minimum temperature was 8 °C (46.5 °F), and a few days later, it dropped again to 10 °C (50 °F). This confirms the fact that these heat waves are short periods in a climate which for the rest, is mild.

Autumn, from mid-March to late May, autumn is mild, and becomes progressively cooler and rainier over the weeks. As usual, there is a fair amount of windy days, and it can get a little cold at night, in fact, the temperature can drop below 5 °C (41 °F).

The amount of sunshine in Melbourne is better in summer, from December to February, when sunny days are quite frequent, while in the rest of the year, it is just acceptable because, as we mentioned, weather disturbances often pass over the area. In winter, there can also be a bit of fog. Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

The sea in Melbourne is never warm, actually, it is cold most of the year, and only reaches 18/19 °C (64/66 °F) from January to March. In the closed and sheltered Port Philip Bay, however, the sea is slightly warmer in summer. Here are the average sea temperatures.

Summer

Melbourne summers are notable for occasional days of extreme heat, which have increased in frequency since 2005. This occurs when the synoptic pattern is conducive to the transportation of very hot air from central Australia over to the south-east corner of the continent. The inland deserts of Australia are amongst the hottest areas on earth, particularly the inland parts of north-west Australia.

Every summer, intense heat builds, starting in the Pilbara district of Western Australia around October/November and spreading widely over the tropical and subtropical inland parts of the continent by January. In the summer months, the southern part of the continent straddles the westerly wind belt to the south and the subtropical high-pressure ridge to the north. The intense heat buildup occurs where high pressure is highly dominant in the upper levels of the atmosphere over the tropics and subtropics of Australia in summer, allowing for a huge area of stable atmospheric conditions to predominate.

On occasion, a strong cold front will develop in summer and bring the westerlies further north than their mean summer position. On these occasions, north-west winds will develop ahead of the cold front's passage and sometimes these can be very strong, even gale force. When this occurs, the hot air from the inland is dragged right down over south-east Australia, occasionally even as far as southern Tasmania.

Summer in Melbourne is warm and occasionally very hot. Certain areas can be crowded as Australians take their annual vacations over Christmas and New Year, certain areas can be crowded. The city's beaches are a popular destination, especially Brighton Beach with its colorful bathing boxes, as are the many parks, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Long days and warm nights make summer an ideal time to explore the hip, small bars on Melbourne's laneways and enjoy the accompanying rooftop views.

Visitors should prepare for scattered rain throughout the season. December can be especially humid, so its days are best spent inside Melbourne's excellent museums and galleries. The Australian Open tennis tournament and the Australia Day national holiday bring the city to a standstill in late January, so plan to visit in February to beat the crowds.

As this air mass is carried entirely over the continental land mass, it remains unmodified, i.e. it does not pick up additional moisture from a body of water and retains most if not all of its heat. On these occasions, the normally temperate parts of southern Victoria, including Melbourne, can experience the full fury of the desert climate, albeit only briefly, as the cold front responsible usually passes through relatively quickly afterwards, allowing cool southerly winds from the southern ocean to replace the hot desert air. The highest temperature recorded in Melbourne city was 46.4 °C (115.5 °F), on 7 February 2009.[9]

Fall in Melbourne

Melbourne's days begin to cool off quickly in fall, with golden foliage shrouding the city. The fresher temperatures are a welcome relief from the summer heat, and the city's calendar is packed with iconic events like the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Winter in Melbourne can feel like it starts as early as May, which may explain the locals obsession with cozy cafes and European-style espresso.

Near-average to above average rainfall

• Autumn rainfall totals were near-average to above average in most Melbourne suburbs.
• Rainfall totals ranged from 75% of average at Cerberus to 131% of average at Viewbank.
• The highest daily rainfall total this autumn, 59.0 mm, was recorded at Ferny Creek on 11 April.
• Ferny Creek was also the wettest location in Greater Melbourne this autumn, receiving 376.2 mm during the season.

Close to average temperatures

• Both mean daytime and night-time temperatures were generally within one degree of the autumn average at all reporting sites.
• The highest daytime temperatures this season across Greater Melbourne were reported at the beginning of April, when most sites had daily maximum temperatures above 30 °C, mostly on 3 April; Melbourne's highest daytime temperature was 32.7 °C at Laverton RAAF on 3 April.
• The lowest daytime temperature was 8.0 °C at Wallan (Kilmore Gap) on 15 May, in the wake of a strong cold front that brought winter-like conditions to Greater Melbourne.
• The coldest nights at most sites this season were on 30 and 31 May, due to the clear skies and light winds under a high pressure system.
• The coldest night in Melbourne city (Olympic Park) saw 1.7 °C on 30 May; this was Melbourne's lowest daily minimum temperature recorded in May since 1949.
• The lowest night-time temperature this autumn in Greater Melbourne was -3.7 °C at Coldstream on 22 May.
• Coldstream and Viewbank had their lowest autumn temperature on record on 22 May and 31 May respectively.

Winter in Melbourne (June – August)

In June, Melbourne hits its lowest levels of sunshine, at only three hours per day. Winter as a whole is largely cool and overcast, but it almost seems appropriate for such a chic destination. Dress appropriately, and you'll find yourself embracing Melbourne's too-cool-for-school vibe at the many sophisticated restaurants and wine bars scattered around the city.

In winter, average temperatures range from 6.5 - 14.2°C (43.7 - 57.6°F), and snow falls in the north-east of Victoria, known as High Country. The weather is frequently cold and cloudy, and nights can be accompanied by frosts. Heavy rain is rare at this time of year. 

Spring in Melbourne

Things kick back into high gear as the days warm up, with Melbourne Fashion Week, the Melbourne Cup horse racing carnival, and the Melbourne Festival (a city-wide arts and culture event) all on the cards.

The Fitzroy, Flagstaff, and Carlton Gardens are all inner-city oases, perfect for relaxing among the flowers and shady trees. Just out of town, the region's blooming lavender fields are another big drawcard for Instagram-savvy travelers.

Wettest spring since 2011

• Spring in Melbourne was wetter than average in all suburbs.
• Rainfall totals ranged from 117% of average at Cerberus to 175% of average at Melbourne Airport.
• Averaged across all reporting sites, it was the wettest spring for Greater Melbourne since 2011.
• The highest daily rainfall total this spring was 63.8 mm recorded at Ferny Creek on 16 October, when a complex low pressure system and a low pressure trough brought thunderstorms, strong winds, and heavy rainfall to the city.
• The wettest place in Greater Melbourne was Ferny Creek, with 451.4 mm recorded during the season.

Coolest spring since 2016

• Mean maximum temperatures in spring were generally close to average at most reporting sites in Greater Melbourne; the exceptions were Ferny Creek, Viewbank and Wallan (Kilmore Gap), where mean maximum temperatures were 1.1 °C below average.
• The season's lowest daily maximum temperature of 9.0 °C was recorded at Wallan (Kilmore Gap) on 21 and 25 September and at Ferny Creek on 15 November.
• Despite the generally cool daytime temperatures during spring, there were some warm days; the highest daily maximum temperature in Greater Melbourne this season was 32.7 °C at Laverton RAAF on 30 November; on that day, all reporting sites recorded their highest daily maximum temperature for the season.
• Mean daily minimum temperatures were within one degree of average in all suburbs and ranged from 0.6 °C below average at Ferny Creek to 0.8 °C above average at Essendon Airport.