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Australia is a large continent with several different climate zones, so it is hard to generalize about the country as a whole. However, the northern section of Australia has a tropical climate, with high humidity in the summer and warm, dry winters. The southern parts of the country are cooler, with mild summers and cool, rainy winters. The Australian desert, or the Outback, is very hot and dry, but during the summer, it can be very humid, with temperatures reaching as high as 50°C. The east coast of Australia, including Sydney, has also been experiencing exceptionally high humidity in recent weeks, which has been attributed to a combination of normal weather patterns and global warming.
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What You'll Learn
Australia's climate varies across the continent
Australia's climate varies significantly across the continent, with the Climate of Australia being the second driest of any continent, after Antarctica. The northern section of Australia has a tropical climate, with hot and humid summers and warm and dry winters. The southern parts, on the other hand, are cooler with mild summers and cool, sometimes rainy winters. The seasons in Australia are the opposite of those in the Northern Hemisphere. When it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere, it's winter in Australia and vice versa.
The tropical areas of northern Australia experience a wet summer due to the monsoon. Typically, from October to April, humid north-westerly winds bring showers and thunderstorms. Tropical cyclones can also occur during this period, bringing heavy rainfall to the tropical coastal regions, which can extend inland. The Northern Territory, including Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity and two distinct seasons: the wet and dry seasons. The wet season, from October to April, is characterised by high humidity, monsoonal rains, and storms, while the dry season, from May to September, features warm and sunny days with lower humidity.
The Australian desert, often referred to as the Outback, experiences very hot and dry weather. However, it can also face unpredictable conditions, with extended periods of no rain or sudden torrential rainfall leading to flooding. The regions in central Australia fall under the Desert BWh climate classification, with an annual average temperature above 18°C.
The southern parts of Australia have a more temperate climate. The southeastern coastal areas have a Cf climate, while the area around Melbourne has a Cfb climate with the warmest month below 22°C and the coldest month between 18°C and -3°C. The area around Brisbane is warmer, classified as Cfa, with the warmest month exceeding 22°C. The Tasmanian mountains and the "Australian Alps" in the southeast experience a typical mountain climate, with harsh winters and snow-covered peaks year-round.
The climate in Australia is influenced by the subtropical high-pressure belt, which brings dry air down onto the continent. This high pressure is usually over the north during the southern summer and moves to the south during the northern winter. As a result, Australia generally experiences dry summers in the south and dry winters in the north. The Intertropical Convergence Zone moves south during the Australian summer, bringing the monsoon to northern parts of the country.
In recent years, parts of Australia have experienced increasing humidity during the summer. This trend is attributed to a combination of normal weather patterns and the impact of global warming, leading to higher sea surface temperatures. The rise in humidity has implications for human comfort, heat stress, and the potential for extreme weather events, particularly if global warming continues unchecked.
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The Northern Territory has two distinct climate zones
Australia is the second driest continent, after Antarctica. The Climate of Australia is governed mostly by the subtropical high-pressure belt (subtropical ridge), which brings dry air from the upper atmosphere down onto the continent. The country's interior is arid or semi-arid, but the northern part of the country is tropical, with a summer wet season that is influenced by the monsoon.
The Northern Territory, located in the central and central-northern regions of Australia, has two distinct climate zones: the warm, tropical Top End and the dry, semi-arid Red Centre. The Top End, which includes Darwin, Katherine, Kakadu, and Arnhem Land, has a tropical climate with two seasons: the Dry and the Wet. The Wet season, which typically lasts from October to April, is characterized by high humidity and the arrival of the monsoon, which brings showers and thunderstorms to the region. The Dry season, from May to September, is marked by warm and sunny days, with afternoon humidity averaging around 30%.
In contrast, the Red Centre, including Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, and the Uluru region, experiences a semi-arid climate with four distinct seasons: summer, autumn, winter, and spring. Summers can be extremely hot, with temperatures climbing high, while winters bring cool nights and occasional frost. The region receives less rainfall, with less than 250 mm (9.8 in) of rain per year.
The Northern Territory's diverse climate zones offer unique experiences for visitors, from the lush greenery and tropical storms of the Top End during the Wet season to the comfortable temperatures and clear skies of the Red Centre during the Dry season.
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Tropical cyclones and monsoons in the north
Australia is the second-driest continent, after Antarctica. However, the country does experience tropical cyclones and monsoons in the north. The tropical areas of northern Australia experience a wet summer due to the monsoon. From October to April, humid north-westerly winds bring showers and thunderstorms. Tropical cyclones can also bring heavy rainfall to tropical coastal regions, which can reach inland.
The Australian monsoon is part of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which moves south during the Australian summer. The Northern Territory has two distinct climate zones. The northern end, including Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity and two seasons: the wet and the dry. The wet season, from October to April, is characterised by warm and sunny days with afternoon humidity averaging around 30%. The dry season, from May to September, brings clear skies and milder conditions with very little rainfall.
The Australian region between 90°E and 160°E is officially monitored by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology and other meteorological agencies from Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji. The tropical cyclone season in this region runs from 1 November to 30 April each year. On average, the Australian region experiences eleven tropical cyclones in a season, with the Northwestern sub-region experiencing five and the Northern region experiencing three on average.
In late July 2025, widespread monsoon activity was observed across parts of central and northern India, resulting in heavy rain and flooding. At the same time, most of tropical Australia recorded little to no rain, with above-average rainfall in parts of Queensland, southwestern Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
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Average annual rainfall across the country
Australia has a very low annual average rainfall of 419 mm (16 inches). The country's climate is the second driest of any continent, after Antarctica. According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), 80% of the land receives less than 600 mm (24 inches) of rainfall annually, and 50% receives less than 300 mm (12 inches).
The Australian climate is variable, with frequent droughts and floods occurring simultaneously in different regions. The El Niño and La Niña phenomena, subtropical high pressures, and other factors influence the weather patterns in Australia, affecting various regions differently.
The northern parts of the country experience most of their rainfall during the northern wet season, typically from October to April, associated with the active phases of the monsoon. During this period, humid north-westerly winds bring showers and thunderstorms, occasionally accompanied by tropical cyclones that bring heavy rainfall to the tropical coastal regions, extending further inland. The Northern Territory, which includes Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity during the wet season.
In contrast, the southern regions of Australia receive most of their rainfall during the southern wet season, from April to November, typically associated with frontal systems. The Australian Capital Territory, which includes Canberra, experiences warm and dry summers with thunderstorms. The region is generally dry due to its position on the leeward side of the Brindabella Ranges.
The annual rainfall in Australia varies across different states and territories. Tasmania, known as the wettest Australian state, experiences about 150 rainy days per year, with Queenstown being one of the wettest places in the country. In 2023, Tasmania's rainfall was below average, receiving 1201.84 mm compared to 1322 mm in 2022.
On the other hand, Birdsville in Queensland is one of the driest areas in Australia, with only 10 days of rainfall annually. However, moving further north in Queensland, areas like Bamaga and Weipa experience much heavier rainfall, with about 75 rainy days per year.
The national rainfall total in 2022 was 509.7 mm, 26% above the 1961-1990 average, making it the ninth-wettest year on record for Australia. In 2023, the national rainfall total was 473.7 mm, 1.6% above the same average.
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The impact of global warming on humidity
Australia is the second driest continent in the world, after Antarctica. However, the Northern Territory, including Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity and two seasons: the wet season (October to April) and the dry season (May to September). During the wet season, humid north-westerly winds bring showers and thunderstorms, and occasionally, tropical cyclones can bring heavy rainfall to tropical coastal regions.
Secondly, the increase in atmospheric moisture has significant implications for rainfall patterns. Higher moisture levels in the air contribute to increased rainfall, particularly during extreme weather events such as hurricanes or heavy rainfall episodes. This intensification of rainfall can have devastating consequences for societies and the environment, exacerbating the impact of these natural disasters.
Thirdly, the combination of higher temperatures and increased humidity exacerbates heat stress on warm days. The human body relies on the evaporation of sweat as a natural cooling mechanism. However, when the humidity is high, the effectiveness of this cooling process diminishes, making it more challenging for the body to regulate its temperature. This phenomenon can have serious health implications and impact individuals' ability to engage in physical activities or outdoor work.
Finally, while global warming generally leads to increased atmospheric moisture, the rate of warming varies between the land and the oceans. The oceans are warming at a slower pace compared to the land, resulting in a relative humidity decrease over the oceans. This decrease in relative humidity is attributed to the slower rate of evaporation over the oceans compared to the land, leading to lower moisture content in the air above oceanic regions.
In summary, the impact of global warming on humidity is complex, leading to increased atmospheric moisture, altered rainfall patterns, heightened heat stress, and regional variations in relative humidity due to differing warming rates between land and oceans. These changes have significant implications for human health, ecosystems, and the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has several different climate zones, so humidity varies across the country. The northern section of Australia has a tropical climate, which is hot and humid in the summer, and quite warm and dry in the winter. The southern parts are cooler with mild summers and cool, rainy winters.
The Northern Territory has two distinct climate zones. The northern end, including Darwin, has a tropical savannah climate with high humidity and two seasons: the wet season (October to April) and the dry season (May to September). During the dry season, humidity averages around 30% in the afternoon.
The Australian desert, or the Outback, is generally very hot and dry. However, it can experience humid temperatures of up to 50°C in the summer.
Yes, Australia is experiencing higher humidity in the summer due to a combination of normal weather patterns and global warming.
