When you picture summer in Alice Springs, you’re probably imagining long, hot days under a wide, blue desert sky. Average daytime temperatures climb into the mid-30s Celsius (that’s the mid-90s Fahrenheit), and the hottest days can nearly hit 40°C (104°F).
Nights don’t cool off much either, rarely dipping below 20°C (68°F). The warmth lingers, so the heat seems to stick around 24/7.
You’ll notice the air feels incredibly dry. Rain barely shows up, with just a few light showers scattered through the season.
Humidity stays low, but the sun feels relentless, so you really need to think about UV protection and drinking enough water.
This blend of scorching heat, blazing sunshine, and almost no rain shapes every summer day in Alice Springs. It helps to know what you’re in for, whether you’re out exploring desert trails, checking out cultural spots, or just curious about how extreme weather shapes life in the Red Centre.
Overview of Alice Springs Summer Climate
Alice Springs gets hot summers with big swings between day and night temperatures. Rain doesn’t fall often, but thunderstorms do pop up sometimes.
The elevation here softens the desert heat a bit compared to the really low-lying parts of central Australia.
Climate Classification and Location
Alice Springs sits in the heart of Australia, just south of the Tropic of Capricorn. The town’s about 575 meters (1,885 feet) above sea level, which helps shave a little off the daytime heat compared to the lowest desert spots.
The experts call it a subtropical desert climate (BWh). That means you get long, hot summers, winters that are mild or even cool, and not much rain at all.
Sunshine is just about constant, with over 3,500 hours of sun per year. It’s honestly one of the sunniest places in Australia.
The MacDonnell Ranges wrap around Alice Springs and affect the weather too. Those hills trap cooler air at night, so after sunset, temperatures can drop fast.
This geography really makes the day-night temperature swings stand out.
Seasonal Temperature Patterns
Summer runs from November through March, and you’ll face some seriously high daytime temperatures. Average highs hang between 35°C and 37°C (95°F to 99°F) in January and February—the hottest stretch.
Some days, the mercury shoots past 45°C (113°F). That’s just brutal.
Nights cool off a bit. Lows usually sit between 20°C and 22°C (68°F–72°F), though sometimes they’ll dip a little lower.
The gap between day and night—often 15°C or more—is classic desert weather.
Thanks to the altitude, summer nights in Alice Springs feel more comfortable compared to lower desert towns. The days can be relentless, but evenings often bring a welcome, dry coolness.
General Weather Characteristics
Rain doesn’t show up much—just 275 mm (10.8 in) per year on average, with most of it falling in summer. January gets the most, about 50 mm, usually from fast, heavy thunderstorms.
August? That’s the dry time, with almost no rain at all.
Humidity sticks to the low side, averaging 30–35% in summer. Even when it’s hot, the air feels dry.
Winds stay light to moderate, around 14 kph (9 mph) most days.
Sunshine is the rule, not the exception. In summer, you get about 10 hours of sun daily, so skies are mostly clear even if a storm rolls through now and then.
That combo of heat, dryness, and strong sun really defines summer in Alice Springs.
Average Summer Temperatures
Summer in Alice Springs means hot days, warm nights, and big temperature swings from day to night. You’ll get long stretches of heat with only a bit of relief after sunset.
The desert air cools things down more than you’d find on the coast, but don’t expect chilly evenings.
Daytime Highs and Nighttime Lows
During summer, daytime highs usually hover around 35°C (95°F), according to records from Alice Springs Airport. Most afternoons stay in the low to mid-30s, but it’s not rare to see 38–40°C (100–104°F).
At night, the desert climate lets heat escape fast. Nighttime lows average about 21°C (70°F), though on some nights you might see it dip to 14°C (57°F).
That drop brings some relief, but you probably won’t need extra layers.
You’ll feel the contrast most when you step outside after sunset. The air cools off way faster than in humid places.
Monthly Temperature Variations
December kicks off summer, with average highs close to 34°C and lows around 20°C.
January is the real scorcher—highs hit 36°C, lows about 22°C. That’s the peak of the heat.
February stays hot, but it eases a bit. Highs average 35°C, and lows are still near 21°C. By late February, mornings might feel a touch cooler.
So, every summer month brings hot afternoons and warm nights. The differences between them are pretty minor.
The hottest period almost always lands in mid-January. By late February, you’ll start to feel the slow shift toward milder autumn weather.
Temperature Extremes
Averages are helpful, but extremes matter too. Sometimes Alice Springs tops 40°C (104°F), and those days can be rough if you’re outside.
The hottest day of the year usually shows up in early to mid-January, with highs around 36°C and lows near 22°C. Long-term records from Alice Springs Airport track these extremes well.
On the flip side, summer nights can occasionally get down to 14°C (57°F), but that’s not very common.
The big swing between the hottest and coolest summer readings really shows how the desert shapes daily life here.
Rainfall and Precipitation Patterns
Alice Springs has a dry desert climate, but summer does bring a bit more rain than the rest of the year. Precipitation comes in bursts, and rainy days are rare.
Typical Summer Rainfall Amounts
Most of the yearly rain falls in summer. You’ll see totals between 40–50 mm in the wettest months, with February usually the peak.
That’s not much compared to Australia’s coastal cities, but for a desert, it actually matters.
Rain usually arrives as short, intense thunderstorms instead of long, steady showers. These storms can dump a lot of water quickly, sometimes causing flash floods in low spots.
If you’re planning to be outdoors, keep an eye out for sudden changes in the weather.
Annual rainfall averages about 250–270 mm, so those summer showers make up a big chunk of the total.
It might not sound like a lot, but it’s enough to affect when plants bloom and when wildlife gets more active.
Monthly Precipitation Trends
Rain varies a lot month to month. December through February are the wettest, with February averaging about 46 mm.
August is the driest—less than 5 mm is typical. The seasonal swing is pretty dramatic.
Here’s a quick look at the summer months:
| Month | Avg. Rainfall (mm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| December | ~38 mm | Start of wetter period |
| January | ~44 mm | Frequent storms |
| February | ~46 mm | Wettest month |
There’s a short but clear wet season, then rainfall drops off fast for the rest of the year.
Rainy Days Frequency
Even in the wettest months, rainy days don’t add up to much. February sees about 7 days with measurable rain, while December and January usually have 4–6 rainy days each.
Rain tends to fall in isolated bursts, not spread out over many days. So you still get plenty of dry, sunny weather between storms.
In the driest months, like August, you’ll only see 3–4 rainy days on average, and those bring very little rain.
That low frequency is typical for desert climates and explains why Alice Springs stays mostly dry most of the year, even with summer showers.
Humidity and Dew Point in Summer
In Alice Springs, summer brings hot daytime temperatures and low humidity. This combo affects how dry the air feels and how comfortable you’ll be outside, especially during the hottest parts of the day.
Average Humidity Levels
Humidity here is much lower than in most of Australia. In summer, the average relative humidity usually sits between 20% and 30%.
Even when the temperature climbs above 35°C, the air stays dry.
The driest air often comes in October and November, when humidity can drop to around 23%. By June and July, levels rise a bit to 45–48%, but that’s outside summer.
Because it’s so dry, sweat evaporates fast, which helps your body cool off. But it can also make you dehydrated if you don’t drink enough water.
You might not even notice how much moisture you lose, since the air feels so dry.
Mornings usually feel a bit more humid than afternoons. Once the sun heats things up, humidity drops and the middle of the day becomes the driest time.
Dew Point Fluctuations
The dew point tells you how much moisture is in the air. In Alice Springs during summer, dew points are low—usually between 5°C and 12°C.
That means sweat dries up quickly, so you don’t feel sticky like you would in the tropics.
Still, the dry air can cause cracked lips, dry skin, and general discomfort if you’re not ready for it.
Nights bring slightly higher dew points, but it’s still dry enough that the air never feels muggy.
Even when temperatures cool down, you won’t get that heavy, humid air you find on the coast.
If you’re visiting, definitely bring moisturizer and lip balm, along with plenty of water. Little things like that help you stay comfortable in Alice’s dry summer climate.
Other Key Summer Weather Factors
Summer in Alice Springs isn’t just about heat. Wind, daylight, and cloud cover all affect how the season feels and how you plan your time outside.
Wind Speed and Direction
Winds in Alice Springs during summer are steady but not wild. Average speeds go from about 10.5 mph in early December to 11.3 mph by late February.
You’ll notice the breeze, especially out in the open, but it’s rarely strong enough to ruin outdoor plans.
The windiest days usually happen in mid to late February. Even then, average speeds just top 11 mph.
Early summer days feel calmer, with winds closer to 10 mph.
Most summer days bring winds from the east. By late February, nearly two-thirds of the hours see easterly winds.
This pattern matters, since dry easterly winds don’t do much to cool things down.
Sunshine Hours and Daylight
Daylight hours slowly shrink over summer. In December, you get about 13.5 hours of daylight. By late February, it’s down to around 12.5 hours.
The change is slow—only about four minutes less each week.
The earliest sunrise is at about 5:38 AM in early December. By late February, the latest sunrise is around 6:29 AM.
Sunsets move earlier too, from 7:26 PM in mid-January to about 7:04 PM at the end of February.
Even as daylight shortens, you still get long days—plenty of time for outdoor adventures.
Solar radiation stays strong, with daily energy values between 7.3 and 7.9 kWh. Plan for high UV exposure, especially around midday.
Cloud Cover Trends
Cloud cover in Alice Springs tends to increase as summer goes on. Early December usually brings clear or mostly clear skies about 70% of the time.
By February, though, that number drops. Overcast or mostly cloudy conditions can reach up to 47% on the cloudiest days.
Even with more clouds, you won’t see full-day overcast skies very often. Most days still show a mix of sun and clouds.
Rain isn’t all that common, either. Only about 10–16% of days during the season record measurable precipitation.
So, you can usually count on bright conditions, though clouds do build up more often later in the summer. These clouds tend to bring short, scattered showers instead of long, rainy stretches. Outdoor plans rarely get canceled for a whole day.
Factors Influencing Alice Springs Summer Weather
A few things shape Alice Springs’ summer weather—its inland position, elevation, and that classic subtropical desert climate. These work together to create hot days, cooler nights, and the occasional burst of heavy rain.
Geographical Influences
Alice Springs sits smack in the middle of Australia, far from any coast. Without the ocean’s influence, summer heat builds up fast during the day and often sticks around into the evening.
The town is right in the Red Centre, a dry region with not much vegetation or surface water. Because there’s little moisture, humidity stays low, so temperatures climb higher than in coastal or tropical areas.
Its inland spot means you’ll notice bigger swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Daytime highs can soar above 34°C (93°F), but evenings cool off much more than they would near the sea.
Impact of Elevation
Alice Springs sits at about 545 meters (1,788 feet) above sea level. That elevation knocks down daytime highs a little compared to lower deserts.
It also helps nights cool off, since heat escapes faster at higher elevations.
You’ll probably find summer nights feel a lot more comfortable than the daytime extremes. Sometimes days hit 40°C (104°F) during heatwaves, but nights often drop to the low 20s°C (around 70°F).
This cooling at night matters if you’re planning a trip. Evenings are usually better for being outdoors, while midday hours call for shade, water, and sunscreen.
Role of Subtropical Desert Climate
Alice Springs sits smack in the middle of a subtropical desert climate (Köppen BWh). Summers get seriously hot and dry, with average highs hovering around 34–36°C (93–97°F).
Rain barely shows up, usually less than 30 mm (1.2 in) even during the wettest months. Sometimes, though, storms just roll in and dump a sudden downpour.
Low humidity really defines the place. Honestly, the dry air can make the heat seem a little less brutal than in the tropics, but it also means you can get dehydrated fast.
You’ll probably notice how quickly sweat disappears—sometimes you don’t even realize how much water you’re losing.
Sun exposure? It’s a big deal here. The UV index often shoots up to 6–7 or higher in summer, so you absolutely need to wear protective clothing, slap on sunscreen, and try to stay out of the sun during the worst hours.