Melbourne

Australia Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Australia in December.

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Melbourne Sydney Cairns Gold Coast

Planning a getaway to Australia this December and curious about the weather you should prepare for? Discover all the vital details you need on this page, solving your puzzle:

What to Expect in Australia in December

The weather in Australia in December can be quite varied, with temperatures that range from mild to very hot and precipitation levels ranging from low to heavy.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is mild in Adventure Bay at 16°C (61°F) to very hot in Marble Bar at 42°C (108°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 25°C (77°F) in Marble Bar and 12°C (54°F) in Adventure Bay.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of Australia, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From low rainfall in Geraldton with an average of 6.1 mm (0.2 in) to heavy rainfall in Palmerston with 338 mm (13 in).

Average sunshine

Several destinations enjoy plenty of sunshine this month. Melbourne sees close to 265 hours of sunlight, making it great for sun lovers.

Explore Australia by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Australia - and find the best time to visit. (based on Melbourne)

January26°C (79°F) February26°C (79°F) March24°C (75°F) April21°C (70°F) May17°C (63°F) June15°C (59°F) This monthJuly14°C (57°F) August15°C (59°F) September17°C (63°F) October20°C (68°F) November22°C (72°F) December24°C (75°F)
Best Time to Visit Australia →

Best Places to Visit in Australia in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Australia.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Australia

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Australia?

Temperature range in Australia (December)

Precipitation variation in Australia (December)

Melbourne

In December Melbourne generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 13°C (55°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
22°C (72°F)
24°C (75°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
11°C (52°F)
13°C (55°F)
14°C (57°F)
Monthly sun hours
225 hours
265 hours
276 hours
Monthly rainfall
67 mm (2.6 in)
63 mm (2.5 in)
52 mm (2 in)
Monthly rainy days
10 days
9 days
10 days
Weather conditions
excellent
excellent
excellent
Climate in Melbourne →

Sydney

In December Sydney generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 24°C (75°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 18°C (64°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
23°C (73°F)
24°C (75°F)
26°C (79°F)
Min temperature
16°C (61°F)
18°C (64°F)
20°C (68°F)
Monthly sun hours
243 hours
257 hours
233 hours
Monthly rainfall
77 mm (3 in)
63 mm (2.5 in)
81 mm (3.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
12 days
10 days
12 days
Weather conditions
excellent
excellent
excellent
Climate in Sydney →

Gold Coast

In December Gold Coast generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 26°C (79°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
25°C (77°F)
26°C (79°F)
27°C (81°F)
Min temperature
20°C (68°F)
21°C (70°F)
23°C (73°F)
Monthly sun hours
249 hours
250 hours
230 hours
Monthly rainfall
88 mm (3.5 in)
118 mm (4.6 in)
139 mm (5.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
11 days
12 days
13 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
very good
Climate in Gold Coast →

Brisbane

In December Brisbane generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 28°C (82°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 21°C (70°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are very good that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
28°C (82°F)
29°C (84°F)
Min temperature
19°C (66°F)
21°C (70°F)
22°C (72°F)
Monthly sun hours
273 hours
265 hours
268 hours
Monthly rainfall
86 mm (3.4 in)
114 mm (4.5 in)
133 mm (5.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
11 days
12 days
13 days
Weather conditions
excellent
very good
very good
Climate in Brisbane →

Perth

In December Perth generally has high temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 30°C (86°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 17°C (63°F) and low monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are excellent that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
27°C (81°F)
30°C (86°F)
32°C (90°F)
Min temperature
14°C (57°F)
17°C (63°F)
19°C (66°F)
Monthly sun hours
318 hours
354 hours
355 hours
Monthly rainfall
23 mm (0.9 in)
12 mm (0.5 in)
20 mm (0.8 in)
Monthly rainy days
4 days
4 days
3 days
Weather conditions
excellent
excellent
excellent
Climate in Perth →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Australia.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Australia in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Melbourne 24°C (75°F) 13°C (55°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Sydney 24°C (75°F) 18°C (64°F) 63 mm (2.5 in)
Cairns 29°C (84°F) 24°C (75°F) 153 mm (6 in)
Gold Coast 26°C (79°F) 21°C (70°F) 118 mm (4.6 in)
Perth 30°C (86°F) 17°C (63°F) 12 mm (0.5 in)
Uluru 36°C (97°F) 22°C (72°F) 40 mm (1.6 in)

Australia weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Australia in December?

Australia typically experiences excellent weather in December, part of the season. Daytime highs in Melbourne average around 24°C (75°F), and temperatures drop to about 13°C (55°F) at night.

What is the average temperature in Australia in December?

Melbourne averages a daytime maximum of 24°C (75°F) in December, with overnight lows close to 13°C (55°F).

Does Australia get a lot of rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in Australia during December, with Melbourne averaging close to 63 mm (2.5 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit Australia?

We believe that December is one of the best times to visit Australia with overall excellent weather in Melbourne. It's worth noting that weather conditions might differ depending on the location you visit.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in January, February, March, April, October, November and December offering mostly excellent weather in Melbourne. On the other hand, the months of May, June, July, August and September tend to have good weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Australia.

Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Australia? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Australia.

Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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