Climate of Sydney

A thunderstorm in Sydney

The climate of Sydney, Australia is humid subtropical (Köppen: Cfa),[1] shifting from mild[2][3][4] and cool[5] in winter to warm and occasionally hot[5] in the summer, with no extreme seasonal differences since the weather has some maritime influence (as it is moderated by proximity to the Pacific Ocean).[3] Though more contrasting temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs, as Sydney CBD is more affected by the oceanic climate drivers than the hinterland.[6][7]

Despite the fact that there is no distinct dry or wet season, rainfall peaks during summer and autumn months,[2] and is at its lowest just around the middle of the year, though precipitation can be erratic throughout the year.[8][9] Precipitation varies across the region, with areas adjacent to the coast being the wettest.[10]

In the February 1938 issue of The Home, journalist Basil Burdett wrote, "...Even Melbourne seems like some grey and stately city of Northern Europe compared with Sydney's sub-tropical splendours."[11] In 2023, Sydney was placed at 9th place by Stars Insider for having the best weather in the world.[12]

  1. ^ "Modelling and simulation of seasonal rainfall" (PDF). Centre for Computer Assisted Research Mathematics and its Applications (CARMA). 20 May 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2016. Brisbane and Sydney each have a humid sub-tropical or temperate climate with no pronounced dry season...the classification is Cfa
  2. ^ a b "Sydney: Climate and water". Bureau of Meteorology. April 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2024. The Sydney region has a temperate climate with warm summers (December–February) and mild winters (June–August).
  3. ^ a b "Sydney holiday weather". Met Office. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023. Sydney's winter weather is generally mild.
  4. ^ "WEATHER IN SYDNEY". Australia.com. Tourism Australia. 23 May 2023. Archived from the original on 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023. Sydney enjoys a sunny climate with mild winters...
  5. ^ a b "Climate and the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games". Australian Government. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 24 September 2007. Archived from the original on 10 June 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  6. ^ Varsha Bubathi, Lance Leslie, Milton Speer, Joshua Hartigan, Joanna Wang and Anjali Gupta. "Impact of Accelerated Climate Change on Maximum Temperature Differences between Western and Coastal Sydney". School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney. Retrieved 23 October 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Dean Lewins (27 March 2023). "Why Western Sydney is feeling the heat from climate change more than the rest of the city". The Conversation. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Sydney future: high temps, erratic rain". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 18 January 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  9. ^ "Commuters in Sydney and eastern NSW brace for erratic weather". News.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Sydney Basin - climate". New South Wales Government. Department of Environment and Climate Change. Archived from the original on 24 July 2008. Retrieved 21 December 2008.
  11. ^ Spearritt, Peter (2000). Sydney's century, a history. Sydney: UNSW Press. pp. 57–58. ISBN 0868405213.
  12. ^ "Cities with the best weather in the world". MSN.com. September 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.