Climate and Weather of Tasmania
Tasmania is one of Australia's six states and is the country's southernmost and only island state. It is home to conservation sites, natural parks, and abundant biodiversity. As Tasmania is predominantly mountainous, the state's terrain is perfect for hiking, rock climbing, and rafting activities that travellers love.Tasmania is overwhelmingly elevated and untouched, so much so that a large portion of Tasmania's land mass was designated as the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) by UNESCO in 1982. Tasmania is likewise home to the Tasmanian devil and the now-extinct Tasmanian tiger, both of which are globally recognized symbols of Australia.
Even though different altitudes all around Tasmania make temperatures different, Tasmania generally has a temperate maritime climate. The state experiences four seasons with each season clearly distinguished. Spring takes place from September to November, summer from December to February, autumn from March to May and winter from June to August.
The average maximum monthly summer temperatures sit between 17°C and 23°C and winter monthly between 3°C and 11°C. Rainfall varies dramatically across the Island.
Tasmania's coldest month is June while February is the warmest. June has moderate average maximum daytime temperatures of 12°C in Queenstown and 14°C in Coles Bay. At nighttime, temperatures drop to 7°C in Coles Bay and 3°C in Queenstown. Meanwhile, February has warm average maximum daytime temperatures of 22°C in Hobart and 25°C in Launceston.
In terms of precipitation, August is Tasmania's wettest month of the year while February is the driest. August has moderate precipitation in Coles Bay with 49 mm of rainfall to heavy in Queenstown with 270 mm of rainfall. Meanwhile, June has moderate precipitation in Launceston with 35 mm of rainfall to a high level of precipitation in Queenstown with 100 mm of rainfall.
Does it snow in Tasmania?
As an island with a temperate climate, Tasmania gets snow although to a lesser degree. In general, Tasmania does not get snowfall often because most elevations in the island are not high enough for snow to regularly happen. Mount Kunanyi or Mount Wellington is among the few elevations in Tasmania that gets fully covered by snow in winter.
Does Tasmania get hurricanes?
Australians use the term cyclones instead of hurricanes. There is no recorded cyclone to have ever hit Tasmania as the island state is out of reach from the tropical zone where cyclones typically form. Instead, Tasmania gets heavy rains in certain areas of the island where flooding is rare, making Tasmania safe and essentially all of Australia one of the safest areas in the world from natural disasters.
When is the best time to visit Tasmania?
It can be cold in winter and autumn in Tasmania, so the best time to visit is in spring and summer. While it is snowing and freezing cold in Europe and a big part of the US, Tasmania is very warm during Christmas in contrast, making it possible to visit beaches in New Year's Eve. Autumn still has sunny days ideal to either explore wildlife in Queenstown at 13°C or spend time walking at the beaches of Coles Bay at 14°C.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Tasmania?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.