Australia in September 2025

In brief

• The national area-averaged mean temperature in September was 1.11 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

• Area-averaged mean temperature was above average for all states and territories.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 1.44 °C and 0.78 °C above the 1961–1990 average for September respectively.
• Mean maximum temperatures were average or above average for most of Australia.
• Mean minimum temperatures were average or above average for much of the country, and below average in some areas in the south and the interior.
• Australia's area-averaged September rainfall total was 12% below the 1961–1990 average.

• September rainfall was above average for large parts of the country including Tasmania, central parts and much of the tropical north. It was below average for much of southern and south-eastern Australia and parts of the east coast.

• For Victoria and South Australia, area-averaged rainfall was 44% and 45% below the September average respectively.

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

Temperatures

The national area-averaged mean temperature in September was 1.11 °C above the 1961–1990 average.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in September was 1.44 °C above average. Area-averaged mean maximum temperatures for all states and territories were above average except for Tasmania.

September mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) for most of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, and large parts of the Northern Territory, Victoria and Western Australia. Mean maximum temperatures were also above average for an area in north-eastern Tasmania.

Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 0.78 °C above average. Area-averaged mean minimum temperatures for all states and territories were above average.

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) for large parts of Australia's east and north-west.

Mean minimum temperatures were below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) across parts of southern and north-eastern Western Australia, central New South Wales, north-western Victoria and the Northern Territory's interior.

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 September rainfall total was 12% below the 1961–1990 average.

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

Rainfall was below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Septembers since 1900) for most of Victoria, southern and central South Australia, central Western Australia and parts of the east coast. It was below average for areas in Queensland's interior and south-eastern Tasmania.

For Victoria and South Australia, area-averaged rainfall was 44% and 45% below September average respectively.

Significant weather and records

Strong winds and showers in Western Australia

A strong cold front crossed the west coast of Western Australia on 5 September bringing showers and damaging winds, with the strongest wind gust of 106 km/h at Manjimup.  A confirmed tornado was reported in Perth's eastern suburbs, around High Wycombe and Hazelmere. Rainfall was generally light to moderate, but locally heavy falls were also recorded, with highest daily totals in the state's south-west. Some stations had their record highest daily rainfall for September in the 24 hours to 9 am on 6 September, including Windy Harbour (41 years of data) where 73.2 mm was observed.

Severe thunderstorms in central Australia

On 8 September, a low pressure trough that extended across southern parts of the Northern Territory and into north-eastern South Australia resulted in severe thunderstorms that impacted a wide area with heavy rainfall and damaging winds. Birdsville Airport (Queensland) and Moomba Airport (South Australia) observed wind gusts of 117 km/h and 107 km/h respectively, the record highest daily wind gusts for September for these stations. In Alice Springs (Northern Territory), strong winds of up to 80 km/h uprooted trees and caused building damage. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 9 September, rainfall totals were generally between 5 and 25 mm with locally higher totals. Northern Territory's Alice Springs Airport (85 years of data) had 21. 4 mm, and Tibooburra Fort Grey (94 years of data) in New South Wales had 39.0 mm, the 5th and 3rd highest daily rainfall total for September for these stations respectively. Anzac Oval in Alice Springs reported 45.0 mm, with 31 mm recorded in 30 minutes, resulting in flash flooding.

Widespread rainfall in parts of South Australia and New South Wales

A cloud band that started to develop across parts of central and eastern Australia on 8 September became extensive on the following day. It was enhanced by a low pressure system and its associated cold front that developed early on 9 September and moved across south-eastern South Australia and into western New South Wales bringing widespread rainfall. Severe thunderstorms developed across parts of South Australia's Flinders and North East Pastoral districts, and through north-western New South Wales, with strong winds, locally heavy falls, large hail and extensive lightning activity. Daily rainfall totals were generally between 10 and 20 mm in parts of eastern South Australia and much of New South Wales, with locally higher totals. The highest rainfall totals were recorded in parts of Hunter, Central Tablelands, and Central West Slopes and Plains districts in New South Wales. Some stations had their record highest daily totals for September, including Wellington (145 years of data) and Peak Hill Post Office (136 years of data) where 85.6 mm and 61.8 mm were recorded respectively in the 24 hours to 9 am on 10 September.

On 10 September, the low pressure system and cold front pushed the cloud band east towards the coast. Rain and storms continued across much of the eastern mainland, from southern Queensland to northern and eastern Victoria, with the highest totals in parts of south-eastern New Sout Wales. Daily totals in the 24 hours to 9 am on 11 September exceeded 100 mm across the Sydney Metro and Illawarra districts and many stations had their record highest daily rainfall for September, including Culburra Treatment Works (64 years of data) with 161.6 mm, Cronulla South Bowling Club (81 years of data) with 147.0 mm and Randwick (118 years of data) with 145.8 mm. With 122.0 mm recorded at Sydney (Observatory Hill), it was Sydney's wettest September day since 1879. Many stations in the Sydney Metro district exceeded their monthly average rainfall in one day. Heavy rainfall brought flash and riverine flooding. There were also multiple confirmed tornadoes that touched down in New South Wales in the afternoon of 10 September, including near Young and Caragabal. Rainfall started to ease on 11 September as a low pressure system moved over the Tasman Sea.

Heavy rainfall along the north-eastern Queensland coast

Between 13 and 18 September, moist south-easterly flow combined with a mid-level low pressure system brought heavy showers to Queensland's North Tropical Coast. Heaviest falls were on 16 and 17 September when daily rainfall totals of 30 mm to more than 100 mm were recorded between Cairns and Ingham. The highest daily total was 379.0 mm recorded at Topaz Alert in the 24 hours to 9 am on 17 September. Cairns Aero (84 years of data) had 72.8 mm, the second-highest September daily rainfall total for the station, and the highest since 1988. Cairns Aero also had its wettest September since it opened in 1942. The average September rainfall for the area between Cairns and Ingham is between 50 and 100 mm.

Strong winds across south-eastern Australia

A strong cold front that crossed the south-east of the country on 15 and 16 September brought strong to damaging winds. Multiple stations in south-eastern South Australia, southern Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales recorded wind gusts exceeding 80 km/h. On 15 September, the strongest gust recorded in Victoria was 133 km/h at Mount Hotham, while Melbourne Airport observed 104 km/h, its strongest wind-gust in September since 2002. On the same day, kunanyi/Mount Wellington Pinnacle (Tasmania) recorded 144 km/h. Strong winds continued on 16 September when Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse (Tasmania) recorded 148 km/h.

A Severe Weather Warning was issued for damaging winds, covering parts of south-eastern South Australia, much of western, southern, and eastern elevated parts of Victoria, including Melbourne and Geelong, south-eastern New South Wales and central and eastern Tasmania. Strong winds brought down trees and powerlines, caused significant property damage and left tens of thousands of people without power. In Melbourne, some of the busiest train lines were closed due to fallen trees.

Winds re-intensified on 19 September, associated with the passage of another strong cold front. The front was followed by cooler air, with temperatures 2 to 6 °C below the September average. Up to 10 cm of snow was recorded in elevated parts of Tasmania.

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.