Australian seasonal summary

In brief

• The national mean temperature for winter was 0.36 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
• Mean maximum temperatures for winter were above or very much above average for most of the northern tropics, Western Australia, and Tasmania; mean maximum temperatures were below average for most of the southern half of Queensland and part of adjacent inland northern New South Wales.
• Mean minimum temperatures for winter were above or very much above average for Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf Country in Queensland, large parts of south-east Australia, the north-west inland Northern Territory, large areas of Western Australia from the Pilbara to the south-east, and smaller areas of the remaining coast of Western Australia. 
• Mean minimum temperatures for winter were below average for a large area of central to north-eastern South Australia, parts of the inland tropics across northern and central Australia, and small pockets on the Kimberley and Nullarbor coast in Western Australia.
• Winter rainfall was 4% above average for Australia as a whole.
• Rainfall was above average for most of the northern tropics to central Queensland, except the central Top End, and also above average for the middle third of coastal New South Wales extending into the slopes and plains, between West Gippsland and Port Phillip in Victoria, and inland south-west Western Australia.
• Rainfall for winter was below average for an area of southern Australia stretching from the south-east of Western Australia through South Australia to western New South Wales, as well as pockets of southern New South Wales, far south-west Western Australia, and parts of the Pilbara reaching from inland to the coast between Karratha and Port Hedland.
• An East Coast Low brought significant flooding to Sydney and surrounding areas of the New South Wales coast during early July.
• Parts of Gippsland in Victoria and north eastern Tasmania experienced flooding during early June and the first half of August.
• Minor flooding was reported in the mid-west and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia during mid-August.

Temperatures

The national mean temperature for winter was 0.36 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

Mean maximum temperatures for winter were above or very much above average for most of the northern tropics, Western Australia, and Tasmania; mean maximum temperatures were below average for most of the southern half of Queensland and part of adjacent inland northern New South Wales.

Mean minimum temperatures for winter were above or very much above average for Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf Country in Queensland, large parts of south-east Australia, the north-west inland Northern Territory, large areas of Western Australia from the Pilbara to the south-east, and smaller areas of the remaining coast of Western Australia. 

Mean minimum temperatures for winter were below average for a large area of central to north-eastern South Australia, parts of the inland tropic across northern and central Australia, and small pockets on the Kimberley and Nullarbor coast in Western Australia.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 113 (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

Winter rainfall was 4% above the 1961–1990 average for Australia as a whole.

Rainfall was above average for most of the northern tropics, except the central Top End, and extended well into to central Queensland. For Queensland as a whole rainfall for the season was 55% above average, and for the Northern Territory rainfall was 48% above average. It was the wettest winter since 2016 for both Queensland and the Northern Territory. Rainfall for the season was also above average for the middle third of coastal New South Wales, extending into the adjacent slopes and plains; between West Gippsland and Port Phillip in Victoria; and in inland south-west Western Australia.

Rainfall for winter was below average for an area of southern Australia stretching from the south-east of Western Australia through South Australia to western New South Wales, as well as pockets of southern New South Wales, far south-west Western Australia, and parts of the Pilbara reaching from inland to the coast between Karratha and Port Hedland.

Significant weather and records

An East Coast Low in early July brought several days of very heavy rain around Sydney that resulted in major flooding of the Hawkesbury–Nepean River and extended along the New South Wales coast. Daily rainfall records for winter were set at a large number of stations during this event, with most records set in areas between the Illawarra and the Mid North Coast. A few stations set records for total daily rainfall for any month of the year.

Parts of Gippsland in Victoria experienced flooding during either one or both of early June and the first half of August. A few stations set records for highest daily rainfall total for winter in Victoria during June or August, although mostly at sites with 30 or fewer years of observations.

A strong cold front crossing southern South Australia in early June brought heavy rainfall, flash flooding and damaging winds over Adelaide and the Mount Lofty region. Some stations set records for highest daily rainfall total for winter, but records were mostly set at stations with less than 30 years of observations.

Large areas of tropical northern Australia typically receive less than 25 mm of rainfall in total for the dry season (May to September). However, during 2022 unusual dry-season rainfall in the Kimberley, Top End, and eastern Cape York Peninsula during June saw large areas receive 20 to 50 mm of rainfall for the month, and moist onshore flow led to moderate to heavy rainfall over the east coast of northern Queensland several times during July and August. For May to August, a large area extending from the base of the Top End, across the Gulf Country and most of northern Queensland, and along parts of Queensland's east coast has received more than twice the usual May−August rainfall. 

In mid-August a cold front associated with a deep low pressure system well to Australia's south brought heavy rainfall along the west coast of Western Australia, leading to minor flooding in the mid-west and Gascoyne. Some stations set daily rainfall records for winter. For the season as a whole, a number of stations in western or northern Western Australia had their highest total rainfall for winter for at least 20 years, although only a few set new records.

Further discussion and tables of records for each state and the Northern Territory can be found in the individual regional climate summaries, to be released on 5 September 2022.

For discussion of events during winter, see the individual monthly climate summaries for Australia for June, July, and August.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 123 (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.