The most comfortable time to visit Sydney is from September to early January, and again from February to May. For sun, aim for mid February; for walking, go from mid April to mid November.
When to go five ratings · thirty-six ten-day sections · click a cell to read it
For sun, go in mid February. It peaks in mid February, at 55. That is a short window, about ten days a year. Avoid May to early September for this: it falls to 0, mostly because it is too cool. The clearest skies come in September, when the sky is typically 53% covered at midday (partly cloudy).
The being outside season here runs from September to early January, with a second spell from February to May. It peaks in mid April, at 88. The weakest stretch is from late June to mid July, when it drops to 26, mostly because it is too cold.
For walking, go from mid April to mid November. It peaks in late May, at 88. Avoid late January for this: it falls to 19, mostly because it is too warm.
The year, measured
The average temperature in Sydney over the whole year is 18°C. January is the hottest month, with highs of about 27°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 8°C. Sydney has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 10% in September, the driest month, to 23% in March, the wettest. Winds in Sydney are highest in January, averaging 3.8 m/s (14 km/h), and lightest in May, at 2.8 m/s (10 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SE. The clearest skies in Sydney come in September, when the sky is typically 56% covered; March is the cloudiest month, at 68%.
Month by month Sydney climate by month: average temperatures year round · click a month to read it
| Month | High | Low | Feels like | Chance of rain | Cloud | Wind | Being outside | Sun | Walking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 27°C | 21°C | 27°C | 17% | 68% | 3.8 m/s | 53 | 51 | 25 |
| February | 26°C | 19°C | 26°C | 18% | 65% | 3.5 m/s | 60 | 52 | 28 |
| March | 25°C | 18°C | 24°C | 23% | 68% | 3.3 m/s | 68 | 44 | 36 |
| April | 22°C | 14°C | 21°C | 13% | 57% | 2.9 m/s | 85 | 20 | 63 |
| May | 19°C | 11°C | 17°C | 13% | 59% | 2.8 m/s | 68 | 2 | 84 |
| June | 16°C | 8°C | 13°C | 12% | 61% | 2.9 m/s | 34 | 0 | 85 |
| July | 16°C | 8°C | 12°C | 13% | 58% | 3.1 m/s | 30 | 0 | 84 |
| August | 17°C | 8°C | 14°C | 12% | 58% | 3.0 m/s | 46 | 0 | 86 |
| September | 20°C | 11°C | 17°C | 10% | 56% | 3.3 m/s | 68 | 5 | 81 |
| October | 22°C | 14°C | 20°C | 14% | 63% | 3.4 m/s | 77 | 17 | 68 |
| November | 24°C | 17°C | 22°C | 13% | 64% | 3.6 m/s | 76 | 27 | 58 |
| December | 26°C | 19°C | 25°C | 11% | 64% | 3.5 m/s | 63 | 46 | 37 |
High and low are the warmest and coolest of four readings a day — midnight, 6am, noon and 6pm — so a true overnight low can sit a degree or two under them. Chance of rain, cloud and wind are the day’s average; feels-like and the three ratings (each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80) are read at midday.
Seasons, and the year in short Sydney weather by season
Year round, Sydney has days of about 16°C at their warmest in June, its coolest month, and 27°C in January, its warmest; the coolest hours of the day run from 8°C to 21°C through the year, and the average temperature over the year is 18°C around the clock. Rain is most likely around March and least likely around September. Every figure here is a decade of observations blended into one representative year, so it reads as what this date is usually like, not a forecast for one particular day.
Sydney weather in winterJune to August
Winter in Sydney has typical daily highs of about 16°C and lows of about 8°C, with a 12% chance of rain on a given day.
Sydney weather in springSeptember to November
Spring in Sydney has typical daily highs of about 22°C and lows of about 14°C, with a 12% chance of rain on a given day.
Sydney weather in summerDecember to February
Summer in Sydney has typical daily highs of about 26°C and lows of about 20°C, with a 15% chance of rain on a given day.
Sydney weather in autumnMarch to May
Autumn in Sydney has typical daily highs of about 22°C and lows of about 14°C, with a 16% chance of rain on a given day.
When is the rainy season in Sydney?
Sydney has no sharply defined rainy season: the chance of rain on a given day runs from 10% in September, the driest month, to 23% in March, the wettest.
What time of year is Sydney windiest?
Winds in Sydney are highest in January, averaging 3.8 m/s (14 km/h), and lightest in May, at 2.8 m/s (10 km/h). The prevailing wind is from the SE.
What is the average temperature in Sydney year round?
The average temperature in Sydney over the whole year is 18°C. January is the hottest month, with highs of about 27°C; July is the coldest, with lows of about 8°C.
Where to go instead in mid July, the weakest time here for being outside
How this is worked out
Every figure is a decade of weather-station observations blended into one typical year, in ten-day sections. The ratings, the chart and the feels-like column are read at midday local solar time. Being outside is the Easy outdoors rating, Sun is Sunbathing and Walking is Active outdoors, each out of 100: Good from 55, Ideal from 80. They describe what a time of year is usually like here, not a forecast. The dotted links open the map at that time of year; set its time of day to midday to see these numbers.