Sydney vs Melbourne: Weather & Climate Compared
🇦🇺 Sydney, Australia · 🇦🇺 Melbourne, Australia
Warmer overall
Sydney
Sunnier
Sydney
More rainy days
Sydney
Sydney vs Melbourne weather right now
At this moment, Sydney is the warmer of the two by 4°F (2°C).
The short answer
Across the year, Sydney is the warmer of the two: its annual average of 64°F (18°C) beats Melbourne's 59°F (15°C) by roughly 5.0°F (2.8°C).
Head to head
- Sunshine: Sydney is brighter, averaging 9.9 hours of sun a day to Melbourne's 9.2.
- Rain: the rain gauge favors Melbourne: 119 wet days a year to Sydney's 122.
- Peak heat: Sydney tops out in January (80°F (27°C) highs); Melbourne peaks in January (80°F (26°C)).
- Coldest nights: winter bottoms out at 47°F (8°C) in Sydney (July) and 44°F (6°C) in Melbourne (July).
Sydney vs Melbourne month by month
| Month | Sydney high / low | Melbourne high / low | Sydney rain days | Melbourne rain days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80° / 67° | 80° / 60° | 13 | 8 |
| February | 79° / 66° | 78° / 58° | 13 | 6 |
| March | 77° / 64° | 75° / 57° | 15 | 7 |
| April | 72° / 58° | 68° / 51° | 10 | 9 |
| May | 67° / 52° | 61° / 47° | 8 | 11 |
| June | 62° / 48° | 57° / 44° | 10 | 11 |
| July | 62° / 47° | 56° / 44° | 7 | 13 |
| August | 65° / 47° | 58° / 44° | 6 | 13 |
| September | 69° / 51° | 62° / 46° | 8 | 12 |
| October | 72° / 56° | 67° / 49° | 11 | 12 |
| November | 74° / 60° | 71° / 53° | 11 | 11 |
| December | 78° / 64° | 76° / 56° | 10 | 9 |
Who's warmer, month by month?
There is no seasonal flip here: Sydney holds the temperature lead in all twelve months of the year. The gap is widest in September, when Sydney's afternoons run about 7°F (4°C) ahead, and narrowest in January, when the two nearly meet.
Sunshine, daylight and rain chance
| Month | Sydney sun | Melbourne sun | Sydney daylight | Melbourne daylight | Sydney wet-day chance | Melbourne wet-day chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.9 h | 11.1 h | 14.2 h | 14.5 h | 41% | 25% |
| February | 10.6 h | 11.1 h | 13.4 h | 13.6 h | 47% | 19% |
| March | 9.5 h | 9.7 h | 12.4 h | 12.4 h | 48% | 22% |
| April | 9.4 h | 8.4 h | 11.3 h | 11.2 h | 34% | 29% |
| May | 8.7 h | 7.4 h | 10.4 h | 10.1 h | 24% | 35% |
| June | 8.2 h | 6.9 h | 9.9 h | 9.6 h | 33% | 36% |
| July | 8.9 h | 6.9 h | 10.1 h | 9.8 h | 24% | 41% |
| August | 9.2 h | 7.9 h | 10.9 h | 10.7 h | 20% | 41% |
| September | 10.4 h | 9.1 h | 11.9 h | 11.9 h | 25% | 40% |
| October | 10.3 h | 9.9 h | 13.0 h | 13.1 h | 36% | 38% |
| November | 11.0 h | 10.7 h | 13.9 h | 14.2 h | 37% | 37% |
| December | 11.6 h | 11.5 h | 14.4 h | 14.8 h | 33% | 28% |
Seasons compared
| Months | Sydney high / low | Melbourne high / low | Sydney rain days | Melbourne rain days | Sydney sun | Melbourne sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December - February | 79° / 66° | 78° / 58° | 36 | 22 | 11.0 h | 11.2 h |
| March - May | 72° / 58° | 68° / 52° | 33 | 27 | 9.2 h | 8.5 h |
| June - August | 63° / 47° | 57° / 44° | 23 | 36 | 8.8 h | 7.2 h |
| September - November | 72° / 56° | 67° / 49° | 30 | 35 | 10.6 h | 9.9 h |
Best months for sightseeing
Counting months with average highs between 64°F and 82°F (18-28°C) and fewer than 12 wet days:
- Sydney: April, May, August, September, October, November, December (7 months)
- Melbourne: January, February, March, April, October, November, December (7 months)
Both cities are at their most comfortable in April, October, November, December, the easiest window for a trip that takes in both.
Records, distance and time difference
- Sydney records (2015-2024): high of 108° in January, low of 34° in July.
- Melbourne records (2015-2024): high of 112° in January, low of 29° in August.
- Distance: Sydney and Melbourne are about 443 miles (713 km) apart as the crow flies.
- Time difference: the two cities share the same local time right now.
Sydney vs Melbourne: quick answers
Is Sydney warmer than Melbourne?
On the annual mean, Sydney is the warmer city by roughly 5.0°F (2.8°C), though the margin shifts with the seasons.
Which city is sunnier, Sydney or Melbourne?
Sydney takes it: 9.9 sun hours a day averaged across the year, versus 9.2 for Melbourne.
Which city gets more rain?
Sydney - roughly 122 days with measurable precipitation a year, compared with 119 in Melbourne.
Dig deeper
More comparisons with Sydney