Melbourne Temperature by Month
The average annual maximum temperature in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia is 20°C (68°F), with daytime highs ranging from 14°C (57°F) in July to 26°C (79°F) in January. This page covers monthly averages, day-night differences, and how Melbourne compares to cities worldwide.
Melbourne Monthly Temperatures
In Melbourne, temperatures can shift dramatically between warm in summer and mild in winter. Nights follow the same pattern, with lows ranging from 14°C (57°F) in January to 7°C (45°F) in July.
The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Melbourne by month:
Low temperatures are most often recorded between 4 AM and 6 AM, while highs typically occur around 3 PM. January, the city's warmest month, sees 276 hours of sunshine.
The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:
Daily Historical Temperatures
50-year average (1976-2025)
Average high and low temperatures for each day of the month based on long-term records.
Average temperatures in May
Historical Melbourne Temperatures: 1976-2026
Browse day-by-day temperature records for Melbourne spanning 51 years. Select any month and year to see actual high and low temperatures recorded on each day.
Temperature: Melbourne vs Australia
The map below shows the annual temperature across Australia. You can also select individual months if you want to compare a specific time of year.
very warm
warm
pleasant
moderate
cold
very cold
Melbourne vs World: Temperature Compared
Melbourne's average annual maximum temperature is 20°C (68°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:
Rome, Italy averages 20°C (68°F) annually, with reliably warm summers and comfortable winters.
Reykjavík, Iceland averages 9°C (48°F) a year — mild summers by Icelandic standards, but cold winters and frequent wind.
Chicago, USA averages 15°C (59°F) annually — known for extreme seasonal swings, from bitterly cold winters to warm summers.
Adelaide, Australia averages 21°C (70°F) a year, with warm summers, mild winters, and relatively low rainfall year-round.
What Does the Temperature Feel Like in Melbourne?
Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story — humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.
In Melbourne, July is the coolest month, with average highs of 14°C (57°F) and humidity around 63% — considered high. In January, the warmest month, temperatures average 26°C (79°F) with 44% humidity — conditions that feel moderate. For a full picture, see our humidity page.
Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.
The readings come from a range of sources — land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.
For cities and regions with significant elevation, altitude is one of the biggest factors shaping local temperatures. As a rule of thumb, temperatures fall by around 6°C for every 1,000 metres gained — so a city at 2,000 metres will typically be around 12°C cooler than a city at sea level in the same region. Higher ground also tends to see more dramatic day-to-night temperature swings, since thinner air loses heat faster after sunset.
For more on Melbourne's weather — including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity — visit our Melbourne climate page.
