Australia in August 2025

In brief

• The national area-averaged mean temperature in August was 0.54 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

• Queensland had its coolest August since 2014.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.73 °C and 0.34 °C above the 1961–1990 average for August respectively.
• Mean maximum temperatures were above average for large parts of Australia's north, west and south-east. Mean maximum temperatures were below average for areas in southern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.
• Mean minimum temperatures were above average for large parts of western and southern Australia and below average for parts of the country's north and south-east.
• Australia's area-averaged August rainfall total was close to the 1961–1990 average.

• Area-averaged rainfall for New South Wales and Western Australia was above average; for all other states and territories it was below average.

• Rainfall was average or above average for large areas in the west and east of Australia and below average for the country's central and south-eastern parts.

• Tasmania had its driest August since 2014.

 Further information and tables of records for each state and Territory are available in the individual regional climate summaries, published on 3 September 2025.

Temperatures

Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in August was 0.54 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

Queensland had its coolest August since 2014.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in August was 0.73 °C above average. Area-averaged mean maximum temperatures for all states and territories were above average. For Tasmania, area-averaged mean maximum temperature was the sixth-highest on record for August since national observations began in 1910.

August mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Augusts since 1910) for Tasmania and parts of Western Australia, Northern Territory, north-eastern Queensland, southern New South Wales and much of Victoria. Mean maximum temperatures were above average for areas in the south-west and south-east of South Australia.

Maximum temperatures were below average for areas in southern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 0.34 °C above average. Area-averaged mean minimum temperatures for all regions were above average except for Victoria and the Northern Territory.

Due to clear skies and cold airmasses that followed the passage of cold fronts, mean minimum temperatures were below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Augusts since 1910) across large parts of the Northern Territory, central and western Queensland and northern Western Australia. Mean minimum temperatures were below average for central Victoria and areas in southern and central New South Wales.

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average for much of Western Australia and South Australia, large parts of eastern and north-western New South Wales, south-eastern and far northern Queensland and northern Tasmania.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 116 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Anomaly is the departure from the long-term (1961–1990) average.

Rainfall

The national area-averaged August rainfall total was 2% above the 1961–1990 average.

It was the wettest August since 2005 for Western Australia with area-averaged rainfall 67% above average. Area-averaged rainfall for New South Wales was 12% above average. For all other states and territories, area-averaged rainfall was below average.

August rainfall was above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Augusts since 1900) for western parts of Western Australia, large parts of eastern and northern New South Wales, and areas in southern Queensland and far north-western Northern Territory.

Rainfall was below to very much below average for most of Tasmania and southern and north-eastern Victoria. Rainfall was below average for parts of southern Northern Territory, north-eastern and southern South Australia and southern New South Wales.

Tasmania had its driest August since 2014, with area-averaged rainfall 33% below average.

Significant weather and records

A complex low pressure system off the New South Wales coast

Between 1 and 3 August, a complex low-pressure system off the northern coast of New South Wales triggered widespread moderate to heavy rainfall, damaging winds, storms and flooding across most of state's east and south-east Queensland. The highest daily rainfall totals were recorded in the 24 hours to 9 am on 3 August in the Hunter and Mid North Coast districts in New South Wales where many stations recorded totals of more than 80 mm, with the highest daily total was 150.6 mm at Careys Park (Barrington Tops). Cold air extended across much of New South Wales and Queensland, with maximum temperatures dropping 2 to 8 °C below average. Widespread snowfalls were recorded across the Northern Tablelands in New South Wales, with 20 to 40 cm of snow recorded at Guyra, Armidale, Walcha and Glen Innes, while snow flurries were observed at Stanthorpe in south-eastern Queensland. Cold air and clear skies resulted in low daily minimum temperatures and some stations across northern parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory had their record lowest daily minimum temperature for August on 3 and 4 August. Tennant Creek Airport in the Northern Territory recorded 4.1 °C on 4 August, its record lowest minimum temperature for any month in 57 years of data. Rainfall started to ease during 3 August as a low moved further offshore into the Tasman Sea, but showers continued across parts of the Mid North Coast and Hunter districts.

Due to heavy rain, strong winds and snowfall, more than 25,000 households were left without power and several major roads were closed. Minor to Major flooding occurred in some northern New South Wales catchments including the Peel River at Tamworth and Namoi River at Gunnedah. Hazardous surf impacted much of New South Wales coast with waves up to 8 m high.

Unseasonable rain in central Queensland

A broad upper low pressure tough moved over southern Queensland and northern New South Wales on 7 August. This caused a surface low pressure trough to develop inland on 8 August, with another trough deepening along the southern Queensland coast on 9 August.

Rain initially developed over western and central Queensland, extending on 8 August across the whole of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Some stations in central Queensland had three-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 10 August) between 15 and 25 mm, with the highest total of 63.0 mm recorded at Injune Post Office.  

Cold fronts impacting Western Australia

Two strong cold fronts moved across southern Western Australia on 2 and 3 August bringing widespread damaging winds, thunderstorms, showers, hail, and snow flurries to Bluff Knoll. Across the South West Land Division, two-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 4 August) were generally 10 to 30 mm, with higher totals recorded at some stations close to the coast. Swanbourne recorded heavy rain and flash flooding with 32.0 mm observed in 1 hour on 2 August.  The Perth metropolitan area was also impacted by severe thunderstorms which brought heavy showers, hail and around 10,000 lightning strikes. Harvey was impacted by severe storms with hail, including golf-ball sized hailstones in some areas. Strong winds gusts were recorded on many stations, with the strongest gusts exceeding 100 km/h. Cape Naturaliste recorded a gust of 115 km/h on 3 August, its second-highest gust on record for August.

Several cold fronts and low pressure troughs impacted Western Australia between 19 and 25 August bringing scattered showers, isolated thunderstorms, small hail and gusty winds to southern parts of the state. Wet weather extended through parts of the Pilbara, Gascoyne, South West Land Division and Goldfields districts. Daily rainfall totals were generally between 10 and 50 mm, with the highest totals recorded on 20 and 25 August. Several stations observed record highest daily rainfall totals for August, including 45.6 mm at Moningarin (116 years of data) on 20 August, 30.2 mm at Yalleen (96 years of data) on 24 August and 38.5 mm at Bonnie Rock (91 years of data) on 25 August. Except the south-western parts of Western Australia, the average August rainfall across the state is less than 25 mm.

The cold front that moved over southern parts of Western Australia on 25 August was followed by very cold air over south-western Western Australia, with maximum temperatures 5 to 10 °C below average for August. On 25 Augus, Perth City observed 11.4 °C, its lowest daily maximum temperature for any month since July 1975, Bickley (in Perth Hills, 32 years of data) observed 8.7 °C, its record lowest daily maximum temperature for August, and snow flurries were observed across the Stirling Ranges for the fifth time this winter.

Early season maximum temperature records in Western Australia

Between 11 and 14 August, warm conditions developed across much of Australia as high pressure systems located to the south of the country directed warmer northerly winds towards the south. Daily maximum temperatures were 2 °C to 6 °C above average across large parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and parts of western New South Wales and Queensland. On 13 August, daily maximum temperatures were up to 12 °C above average in western parts of Western Australia and many stations had early season maximum temperature records including Meekatharra Airport and Dwellingup which have more than 65 years of data each.

Wet in parts of eastern Australia

Between 19 and 22 August, a low pressure trough that stretched through parts of inland Queensland and New South Wales, and a coastal trough close to the east coast, combined with a moist onshore airflow directed by a slow moving high pressure system in the Tasman Sea to produce several days of thunderstorms and rain over the area. Daily rainfall totals were mostly moderate with locally heavier falls, but cumulative totals were significant, with three-day totals (ending 9 am on 22 August) exceeded 150 mm at many stations along the coast, with the highest totals recorded in Queensland's Southeast Coast district and Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Sydney Metropolitan and Illawarra districts in new South Wales. The highest three-day total of 243.8 mm was recorded at Port Macquarie Airport AWS in New South Wales. High rainfall totals resulted in riverine flooding in eastern and northern New South Wales, with the Major Flood Warning issued for the Namoi River.

Strong winds across south-eastern Australia

Between 26 and 30 August, several cold fronts and low pressure troughs impacted south-eastern Australia, bringing thunderstorms, some severe, also showers, hail, snow and a prolonged period of strong winds. Winds started to intensify on 26 August, with the strongest gust of 120 km/h recorded at Victoria's Mount Hotham. On 27 August, the strongest gusts of 141 km/h and 133 km/h were recorded at Tasmania's kunanyi (Mount Welington Pinnacle) and Hogan Island.

A cold front associated with a low pressure system over Bass Strait that crossed south-eastern states on 29 August, brought more strong winds, and some stations in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales had record highest daily wind gusts for August, including Adelaide Airport (89 km/h) in South Australia, Cape Nelson Lighthouse (117 km/h)  in Victoria and  Hay Airport (98 km/h) in New South Wales. The strongest gust recorded on 29 August was 128 km/h at Mount Hotham. A Severe Weather Warning was issued for damaging winds, covering southern and south-east South Australia, much of western, southern, and eastern elevated parts of Victoria, including Melbourne and Geelong, and parts of south-eastern New South Wales. There were media reports of wind causing fallen trees, damage to loose structures and property, and power outages. Based on radar evidence, there were likely two small and fast-moving tornadoes across the northern suburbs of Adelaide on 29 August.

Daily rainfall totals were generally between 10 and 30 mm, with daily totals up to 50 mm recorded in parts of western and northern Tasmania, north-eastern Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales. Up to 40 cm of snow was recorded in alpine areas of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales, and snow flurries were observed at lower altitudes, including at Mount Lofty (South Australia) and Mount Macedon (Victoria). The last cold front was followed by very cold air which extended across much of Australia, with maximum temperatures 2 to 6 °C below the August average.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 126 (highest). A rank marked with ’=‘ indicates the value is tied for that rank. Departure from mean is relative to the long-term (1961–1990) average.