When you picture winter in Melbourne, you probably imagine grey skies and chilly mornings. That’s not a bad guess, honestly, but there’s a bit more to it. On average, Melbourne’s winter brings daytime highs of around 14–15°C and overnight lows near 6°C, with rainfall sticking close to seasonal norms. These conditions make winter feel cool but not harsh, especially compared to other cities at the same latitude.
You’ll find that winter days usually start crisp and cold, and sometimes there’s frost in the outer suburbs, before things warm up to mild afternoons. Rain shows up fairly often, but totals usually hover near the long-term average.
Sunshine hours drop, and clouds tend to hang around, giving Melbourne its reputation for unpredictable skies.
If you know what to expect, you can plan better. Whether you’re figuring out what to pack or thinking about how Melbourne’s winter stacks up against its warmer months, understanding the usual weather patterns helps paint a real picture of city life during the coldest time of year.
Typical Winter Temperatures in Melbourne
Melbourne’s winter brings cool days and chilly nights. You’ll notice a mix of mild spells and cold snaps.
Daytime temperatures stay moderate compared to a lot of other cities, but nights can feel pretty cold, especially if you’re out in the suburbs.
Average High and Low Temperatures
In winter, highs in central Melbourne usually land around 14–15°C (57–59°F). These temperatures sit just above the long-term average, so you’ll still get some mild afternoons.
Lows average about 6–7°C (43–45°F) in the city. Head out to places like Coldstream, and nights get much colder.
Minimums often drop to 2–3°C (36–37°F), and frost is pretty common out there. This difference between the city and suburbs comes from Melbourne’s geography and the urban heat effect.
Winter is definitely the coldest time of year, but it’s not really extreme. You rarely see daytime temperatures below 10°C in the city, though nights can get close to freezing if you’re outside the urban area.
Coldest and Warmest Winter Days
Winter sometimes throws in a few extremes. The coldest days can hover near 10°C (50°F) in the city, and upland suburbs like Ferny Creek might not even reach 6–7°C (43–45°F).
Nights in Coldstream can drop below 0°C, and frosts can reach -4 to -5°C (23–25°F). On the flip side, Melbourne occasionally gets mild spells.
Afternoon highs sometimes climb to 20–21°C (68–70°F), especially in late August. These warm breaks don’t stick around long, but they’re a nice change from the chill.
Locals always say Melbourne’s weather changes fast. You really do need to be ready for both cold mornings and surprisingly mild afternoons in the same season.
Hourly Temperature Trends
Melbourne’s winter temperatures follow a pretty clear daily rhythm. Mornings are the coldest, with lows usually hitting around 6–7 AM.
Frost is most likely at this time in the outer suburbs. By late morning, the sun helps temperatures climb.
The warmest part of the day usually falls between 2–4 PM, when highs peak. After sunset, things cool off quickly, and evenings can feel downright cold.
You’ll probably start your day bundled up, then ditch a layer or two by early afternoon. Planning your activities around these swings helps you stay comfortable while you’re out and about.
Rainfall and Precipitation Patterns
Melbourne’s winter brings steady rain, but totals vary across the city and surrounding suburbs. You’ll see frequent showers, with amounts and timing shifting depending on where you are and what weather systems roll through.
Average Rainfall Amounts
Winter rainfall in Melbourne typically ranges between 120 mm and 200 mm depending on the location. Central spots like Melbourne (Olympic Park) average about 122 mm, which sits right around the long-term mean.
Eastern suburbs and hillier regions, like Ferny Creek, can get much more rain—sometimes over 400 mm in a season. Meanwhile, western and coastal areas like Laverton usually see less, closer to 75–130 mm.
Rain falls pretty steadily through winter, not just in big dumps. So, you’ll notice rainy days scattered across June, July, and August, with few long dry stretches.
| Location | Avg. Winter Rainfall (mm) | % of Long-Term Avg. |
|---|---|---|
| Melbourne (Olympic Park) | ~122 mm | ~98% |
| Laverton RAAF | ~75 mm | ~63% |
| Ferny Creek | ~418 mm | ~112% |
Chance of Wet Days
You’ll probably get rain on about 10–15 days per winter month in Melbourne. Showers often arrive with passing cold fronts, which bring cooler air and gusty winds.
Rain doesn’t usually last all day. More often, you’ll get a burst of heavy rain, then a dry break.
This makes it possible to sneak in outdoor activities between showers, but you’ll want to keep a rain jacket nearby. July tends to be wetter than June or August.
Eastern and elevated suburbs pick up more rainy days than the drier west side.
Rainfall Variation Across Winter
Rainfall in Melbourne varies a lot because of geography and weather patterns. The Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Ranges catch more moisture, so totals run higher.
These areas can get nearly twice as much rain as the inner city. Western suburbs, sitting in a rain shadow, usually see less.
For example, Essendon and Laverton often record 20–40% less rain than eastern suburbs. Cold fronts really drive this variation.
When a strong system blows through, it can bring widespread rain, but totals still differ depending on your spot in the metro area. Local knowledge comes in handy when you’re planning winter outings.
Cloud Cover and Sunshine Hours
Melbourne’s winter brings more cloud cover than other seasons, but you still get a decent amount of daylight. The mix of cloudy skies and available sunshine really shapes the outdoor vibe during these months.
Cloudiest and Clearest Winter Days
Melbourne winters are famous for frequent overcast skies, especially in June and July. You’ll get plenty of days with thick clouds, which often make the city feel colder than it actually is.
Clear days aren’t super common, but they do happen. When they do, the crisp air and bright skies give you fantastic visibility.
These clearer days usually follow cold fronts that sweep away the heavier clouds. On average, you’ll see cloud cover shift from partly cloudy mornings to more overcast afternoons.
That’s pretty typical, thanks to the cooler air masses moving across southern Australia in winter. If you’re planning outdoor plans, it’s good to stay flexible.
Clouds and sun can trade places fast, sometimes all in the same day.
Average Daily Sunshine Hours
Melbourne averages about 5 to 6 hours of sunshine per winter day. That’s less than in spring or summer, but still enough to get outside if you time it right.
June usually brings the lowest sunshine, averaging around 5.3 hours daily. By August, you get a little more daylight, which makes sightseeing or walking around the city a bit easier.
Compared to a lot of northern cities at the same latitude, Melbourne still offers a fair amount of winter sun. The sun sits lower in the sky, though, so daylight feels softer and less intense.
If you want to soak up the most sunshine, aim for late morning to early afternoon. Those hours usually bring the brightest conditions before clouds often roll in later.
Daylight Duration and Sun Position
Winter in Melbourne means shorter days and a lower sun angle than summer. You’ll notice fewer daylight hours, earlier sunsets, and later sunrises, all of which can shift your outdoor plans.
Length of Days Through Winter
In June, which kicks off winter, Melbourne gets its shortest days of the year. Around the June solstice, daylight lasts about 9 hours and 30 minutes.
By July, the days stretch out a bit, and by late August, you get closer to 11 hours of daylight. The sun sits low, so shadows stretch long and sunlight feels weaker than in summer.
This weaker sun also helps explain cooler daytime temperatures, even when the sky is clear.
If you’re planning outdoor activities, it helps to know the difference between the shortest and longest winter days is about 90 minutes. You’ll notice a slow, steady increase in daylight as winter goes on.
Sunrise and Sunset Times
In June, the sun usually rises around 7:30 AM and sets close to 5:10 PM. These times shift a bit as winter moves along.
By August, sunrise comes earlier, around 7:00 AM, and sunset stretches to about 5:50 PM.
Here’s a quick overview:
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| June | ~7:30 AM | ~5:10 PM | ~9h 40m |
| July | ~7:25 AM | ~5:20 PM | ~9h 55m |
| August | ~7:00 AM | ~5:50 PM | ~10h 50m |
Times can vary a little each year, but the pattern stays pretty consistent. If you plan around these averages, you’ll get the most out of Melbourne’s winter daylight.
Other Winter Weather Characteristics
Melbourne’s winter brings more than just cool temps and rain. You’ll want to be ready for gusty winds, early morning frosts, and even the odd chance of snow in nearby hills.
Wind and Frost Occurrence
Winter winds in Melbourne usually blow in from the west and southwest. These winds can feel sharp, especially near the bay and along the coast.
Strong gusts aren’t rare, and places like Wallan (Kilmore Gap) often get the highest wind speeds during winter. Brisk afternoons are common, and when wind combines with cool air, it can feel colder than the thermometer says.
That’s especially true during cold fronts. Frost is another winter feature, mostly in the outer suburbs and valleys.
Coldstream often sees the lowest minimums, sometimes dipping below freezing. Inner-city areas stay a bit warmer overnight, so they get less frost.
Frost forms on clear, calm nights when heat escapes fast from the ground. If you’re driving early in the morning, keep an eye out for icy patches on rural roads.
Snowfall in and Around Melbourne
Snow almost never falls in central Melbourne. The city’s low elevation and coastal influence keep things too mild for regular snow.
You might catch light flurries in the outer hills during a cold snap, but those events don’t last long.
If you’re hoping for real snow, you’ll need to head higher. The Dandenong Ranges, about an hour east, sometimes get a dusting in winter.
These rare events draw visitors, but snow usually melts within a day. For deeper, lasting snow, you have to travel to the Victorian Alps.
Places like Mount Buller, Falls Creek, and Mount Hotham offer consistent snow through winter. They’re popular for skiing, snowboarding, and day trips out of Melbourne.
Even when snow skips the city, the cold air masses that bring it to the hills often deliver crisp, clear days to Melbourne. That contrast makes winter weather feel interesting—even within a short drive.
How Melbourne’s Winter Compares to Other Seasons
Winter in Melbourne brings cooler days, shorter daylight, and more frequent rain than the rest of the year. The difference really stands out when you compare it to the city’s warm, sunny summers or the in-between seasons of spring and autumn.
Temperature Differences by Season
In winter, daily maximum temperatures in Melbourne usually sit around 10–15°C. Nights often drop below 7°C.
You won’t see much frost in the city center, but outer suburbs like Coldstream get it more often.
Summer flips the script. Days often reach 25–30°C, and sometimes a heatwave will push things up into the high 30s or low 40s.
Nights in summer feel milder, usually hovering around 14–18°C. That makes it a lot easier to get outside and enjoy yourself.
Spring and autumn work as transitional periods. Spring kicks off cool, with mornings that still feel like winter, but things warm up into the mid-20s by late November.
Autumn cools down slowly. Average highs hang around 20–24°C, then drop into the mid-teens by May.
You’ll notice the biggest temperature swings between winter and summer, thanks to this seasonal variation. Spring and autumn? They usually offer a more moderate vibe.
Rainfall and Cloud Cover Changes
Rainfall in Melbourne falls throughout the year. Still, winter usually brings wetter and cloudier days than summer.
In winter, you’ll probably notice frequent showers and around 130–150 mm of rain over the season in central parts of the city. Heavy cloud cover hangs around, which cuts down on sunshine.
Summer feels different. It’s drier, and you might catch occasional thunderstorms instead of those long, steady rains.
Average rainfall drops to below 60–70 mm per month in summer. The skies open up more, so you’ll get longer stretches of sunny days.
Autumn brings a bump in rainfall as May approaches. Spring? It can go either way, swinging between wet and dry spells.
People love to say “four seasons in one day” about Melbourne. But honestly, the real contrast is between the cloudy, damp winters and those bright, dry summers.