Australia in August 2026

In brief

• Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in August was 1.71°C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-highest on record since national observations began in 1910.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in August was 1.58 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

• For Tasmania, the area-averaged mean maximum temperature was the highest on record for August.

• Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature in August was 1.84 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fourth-highest on record.

• Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were average to above average across the country.

• Australia's area-averaged August rainfall total was 29% above the 1961–1990 average.

• The area-averaged August rainfall for Queensland and Tasmania was below average; for all other states and territories it was above average.

• For South Australia, the area-averaged rainfall was the fourth-highest on record since national observations began in 1900.

• August rainfall was above average across central and much of southern Australia, and for pockets in the north. It was below average for areas in the east, south-east and west.

Temperatures

Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in August was 1.71 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-highest on record for August.

Tasmania and Western Australia had their third- and fourth-warmest August on record respectively.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in August was 1.58 °C above average. Area-averaged mean maximum temperatures for all states and territories were above average.

For Tasmania, the area-averaged mean maximum temperature was the highest on record for August, 1.89 °C above average, surpassing the previous record set in 1982.

August mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Augusts since 1910) for:

• Tasmania
• most of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland
• large parts of the Northern Territory and Western Australia
• areas in South Australia.

Mean maximum temperatures were the highest on record for parts of northern Tasmania and some stations had their record highest August mean maximum temperatures.

The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 1.84 °C above average, the fourth-highest on record since national observations began in 1910.

The area-averaged mean minimum temperature for all states and territories except the Northern Territory were in their top 10 highest on record for August.

For Western Australia, the area averaged mean minimum temperature was the second-highest on record, 2.17 °C above average.

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Augusts since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean minimum temperatures were the highest on record for large parts of Western Australia's Pilbara, Gascoyne and Northern Interior districts and an area in the Upper Western district of New South Wales. Several stations had their record highest August mean minimum temperatures.

Mean minimum temperatures were below average for a small coastal area in the Kimberley district of Western Australia.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 117 (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 rainfall total in August was 29% above the 1961–1990 average. 

The area-averaged rainfall was above average for all states and territories except for Queensland and Tasmania.

August rainfall was above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Augusts since 1900) for:

• most of South Australia, northern Victoria and western and central New South Wales
• much of central and southern Western Australia
• large parts of western and south-western Queensland and pockets along the state's north-east coast
• southern half of the Northern Territory and small areas in the Territory's far north.

South Australia had its fourth-wettest August on record and the wettest since 1992, with the area-averaged rainfall more than double the average.

Rainfall was below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Augusts since 1900) for:

• Tasmania
• parts of southern and far eastern Victoria and adjacent south-eastern New South Wales
• Western Australia's south-west and some areas in the west
• parts of eastern Queensland.

With the area-averaged rainfall 44% below average, Tasmania had its seventh-driest August on record, the driest since 1982.

Significant weather and records

Wet in the south-west and south-east of the country

Between 2 and 5 August, low pressure troughs and a cold front associated with a low pressure system, brought low to moderate rainfall totals to western parts of Western Australia and the south-east of the country.

Southern parts of Western Australia's Pilbara, much of Gascoyne and Goldfields and parts of Central Wheat Belt districts recorded three-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 5 August) between 10 and 30 mm, while further south, parts of Lower West and South West districts recorded 5 to 20 mm.

In the south-east of the country, three-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 5 August), were the highest across southern Victoria, where many stations observed totals between 30 and 50 mm, with the highest total of 68.2 mm recorded at Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse. Western Tasmania generally had totals between 10 and 30 mm. The cold front brought up to 10 cm of snow to alpine areas in Tasmania, north-eastern Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales.

Widespread rainfall and strong winds in southern Australia

A strong cold front and associated rainband moved over southern and parts of eastern Australia between 7 and 10 August. The front brought widespread rain, showers and thunderstorms to south-western Western Australia, much of South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, south-eastern Queensland and parts of Tasmania. It also brought strong winds and snow to elevated areas. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 8 August, the front brought daily rainfall totals of 10 to 35 mm to coastal regions of Western Australia's Lower West and South West districts and 5 to 15 mm to parts of the Central Wheat Belt district. Thunderstorms resulted in small hail in parts of the state's south-west, while snow was observed at Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 9 August, daily totals between 10 and 40 mm, and locally higher, were observed in parts of central and south-eastern South Australia where some stations had their record highest daily rainfall for August. The heaviest rainfall during this event was observed overnight between 9 and 10 August across south-eastern South Australia and northern Victora, when the cold front interacted with tropical moisture from the Indian Ocean brought by a low pressure trough. Additionally, an upper-level trough contributed to the development of a surface low pressure system off the South Australian coast, which moved over Victoria early on 10 August.  Daily rainfall totals to 9 am on 10 August were generally between 50 and 100 mm, and locally higher, and many stations had their record highest daily rainfall totals for August, including:

• 81.0 mm at Blinman (153 years of data), South Australia
• 76.4 mm at Melrose (166 years of data), South Australia
• 53.2 mm at Yardea (150 years of data), South Australia
• 67.0 mm at Clunes (149 years of data), Victoria
• 54.5 mm at Sea Lake Post Office (131 years of data), Victoria
• 159.0 mm at Myrhee (Handcocks) (27 years of data), Victoria
• 111.6 mm at Archerton (84 years of data), Victoria

Heavy rainfall across northern Victoria resulted in widespread flooding, with Major Flood Warnings issued for the Loddon and the Ovens and King rivers. In South Australia, flash flooding was observed in parts of Adelaide and there were reports of downed trees and closed roads.

Strong northerly winds preceded the cold front, then shifted to strong and gusty south-westerly winds in the front's wake, with wind gusts exceeding 80 km/h at many stations across southern parts of the country. Damaging to destructive wind gusts were recorded in elevated areas of the south-east, with the strongest gusts of 135 km/h recorded at Thredbo AWS (New South Wales).

Tropical moisture contributes to heavy rainfall in the south-east

From 17 to 19 August, cold fronts and low pressure troughs moved over southern Australia. They combined with moisture transported from the Indian Ocean, bringing rain and isolated thunderstorms to the south-west of Western Australia, parts of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.  Late on 17 August, thunderstorms brought locally heavy showers to parts of eastern South Australia, where to 9 am on 18 August, Arkaroola recorded 30.8 mm. On 18 August, widespread rainfall was recorded in eastern South Australia, western New South Wales and much of Victoria. Many locations recorded daily totals between 5 and 20 mm, with locally higher totals including Grampians (Mount William) (Victoria) where 52.2 mm was observed in the 24 hours to 9 am on 19 August. The highest daily rainfall totals during this event were recorded to 9 am on 20 August when stations in north-eastern Victoria and northern Tasmania recorded totals of 30 to 50 mm and locally higher, including 63.8 mm at Loongana (Tasmania). This resulted in renewed river level rises. Damaging to destructive wind gusts were recorded in elevated areas of the south-east, with the strongest gusts of 117 km/h recorded at Thredbo AWS (New South Wales) on 20 August.

A low pressure system that developed inland of Western Australia's west coast on 22 August, connected with tropical moisture, bringing rain and thunderstorms to the state's south and inland parts, with daily totals in the 24 hours to 9 am on 23 August generally between 5 and 35 mm. The low pressure system and associated low pressure trough slowly moved eastwards, tracking across South Australia's agricultural areas, northern Victoria and southern New South Wales, bringing widespread rain, thunderstorms and showers to large parts of southern, central and eastern Australia. The highest daily rainfall totals were recorded to 9 am on 25 August in parts of South Australia's Mount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula and Lower Eyre Peninsula districts, where many stations had their record highest daily rainfall for August, including:

• 78.6 mm at Mount Compass (105 years of data)
• 74.8 mm at Myponga Reservoir (64 years of data)
• 58.8 mm at Yorketown (147 years of data)

Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) recorded 29.8 mm and Adelaide Airport 24.0 mm, their fifth- and fourth-highest August daily rainfall totals, respectively. Heavy rainfall resulted in damage to property as well as riverine and flash flooding in some areas.

Widespread rain and thunderstorms in Western Australia

A cold front and associated low pressure trough crossed the south-west of Western Australia late on 25 August bringing showers. On 26 August, a low pressure system developed over south-western Western Australia, slowly moving eastwards, bringing widespread rain and thunderstorms with local heavy falls to the state's south. Thunderstorms affected much of Goldfields district on 28 August and in the 24 hours to 9 am on 29 August, Laverton Aero observed 29.4 mm, its record highest daily rainfall for August (33 years of data). The highest five-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 30 August) were recorded across the South West Land Division, and ranged between 20 and 50 mm, with pockets of 50 to 70 mm. 

Record day-time temperatures for the south-east

During the last days of August, a strong slow-moving high pressure system over south-eastern Australia resulted in warm, sunny days with light winds.  Daily maximum temperatures were up to 10 °C above average for August in parts of the south-east and some stations had their record highest daily maximum temperatures on 30 and 31 August, including:

• 19.9 °C at Ross (The Boulevards) (33 years of data), Tasmania, on 30 August
• 19.5 °C at Sheffield School Farm (30 years of data), Tasmania, on 30 August
• 12.6 °C at Falls Creek (36 years of data), Victoria, on 30 August
• 11.5 °C at Mount Buller (40 years of data), Victoria, on 31 August
• 11.5 °C at Mount Hotham (37 years of data), Victoria, on 31 August
• 22.6 °C at Braidwood Racecourse AWS (38 years of data), New South Wales, on 31 August.

Further information

A summary and tables of records for each state and Territory are available in the individual regional climate summaries, issued on 3 September 2026.

Rank ranges from 1 (lowest) to 127 (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.