The Remarkable Weather Melbourne is Famous For

The weather Melbourne is famous for is to be unpredictable -‘four seasons in one day’!

I actually love the weather in Melbourne: It is not humid like the eastern cities; the air is crisp and clean. And although a day may start off cloudy or rainy, you can be pretty certain that the sun and blue sky will come through, illuminating the lush green parks and gardens with a golden glow.

People say, ‘don’t worry if you don’t like the weather in Melbourne, it will no doubt change a few times over the course of a day.’

Melbourne weather - sunny, raining.... all in one day A bit of truth, a bit of exaggeration...

The unpredictable weather Melbourne is blessed with, is created by its unique location, wedged between southerly arctic influences and the northerly dry and hot desert winds.

Here is your daily Melbourne weather forecast!

Weather Facts

Melbourne is actually much dryer than the eastern Australian cities and has only about half of Sydney’s annual rainfall. Most days I am able to get to the city on my bike – and I don’t ride when it’s raining.

However, Melbourne has a larger number of cloudy days and it is somewhat colder than Sydney.

Yet, compared to European cities, Melbourne’s climate is mild, particularly during winter. (Melbourne is on roughly the same latitude as Athens and northern Africa!) It is actually very pleasant and beautiful.

Here is a list of Melbourne temperatures in Fahrenheit or Celsius.

The changable weather Melbourne is famous for on the Eureka tower.

Melbourne’s weather has four distinct seasons: clear skies and fresh green budding leaves in spring, dry hot summers, colourful leaves in autumn, and cool crisp and sometimes rainy winter days. It is, in the majority of the time, a comfortable climate to be in - whatever the season.

We actually had the driest year on record last year (May 2006-2007), and have been through a major drought. So, now that it rains again, no one is complaining – it’s great to see everything green again.

For that reason, tight Melbourne water restrictions are in place.

During summer, it actually gets hotter in Melbourne than in the eastern cities, due to the hot desert winds. However, its dry hot days don’t go on too long and are regularly followed by pleasant cooler spells. It rarely gets humid and heavy.

The sun is strong in a Melbourne summer and you will need to have sun protection for Melbourne weather.

Weather & Creativity

The weather in Melbourne seems to foster creativity and style rather than outdoor sunbathing. It no doubt has contributed to Melbourne’s lively art and music scene, which is unmatched anywhere in Australia.

That a large number of events and festivals are held outside however, is evidence of the great climate in all seasons.

Fashion has also been influenced by the weather Melbourne is famous for. It has contributed to the style of ‘dressing in layers’ that you can take off or put on to accommodate the daily changes common to any season.

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