Australia in November 2025

In brief

• The national area-averaged mean temperature in November was 0.61 °C above the 1961–1990 average.
• For Queensland, area-averaged mean temperature was 1.56 °C above average, the seventh-highest on record since national observations started in 1910.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were 0.53 °C and 0.69 °C above the 1961–1990 average for November respectively.

• For Tasmania, area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 1.86 °C below average, the eighth-lowest on record since 1910.
• Mean maximum temperatures were above average for much of Queensland and parts of New South Wales and Western Australia. Mean maximum temperatures were below average across Tasmania and for large areas in the south and north of the mainland.

• Mean minimum temperatures were average or above average for most of Australia and below average for areas scattered across the country.

• Australia's area-averaged November rainfall total was 35% above the 1961–1990 average.

• November rainfall was average or above average for most of Australia except for parts of New South Wales and areas in southern Queensland.

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

Temperatures

The national area-averaged mean temperature in November was 0.61 °C above the 1961-1990 average.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in November was 0.53 °C above average. 

For Tasmania, area-averaged mean maximum temperature was 1.86 °C below average, the eight-lowest on record since 1910 and the lowest since 1968.

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

• much of Queensland
• large parts of New South Wales
• north-western and central Western Australia extending along the coast
• areas in the far north-east of the Northern Territory.

Mean maximum temperatures were the highest on record in areas along the Queensland's east coast and several stations located there had their record highest mean maximum temperatures for November.

November mean maximum temperatures were below to very much below average for:

• Tasmania
• much of Victoria
• large parts of north-western and southern Western Australia
• areas in the south of South Australia.

Mean maximum temperatures were below average for parts of north-western Northern Territory extending into north-eastern Western Australia and an area spanning the border between the Northern Territory and Queensland.

Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 0.69 °C above average.

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Novembers since 1910) for large parts of Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. Mean minimum temperatures were the highest on record for Queensland's Central districts and many stations in these areas had their record high mean minimum temperature for November.

Mean minimum temperatures were below average for scattered areas across southern and inland Australia.

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 November rainfall total was 35% above the 1961-1990 average.

November rainfall was above average for all states and territories except for New South Wales.

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

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

Rainfall was the highest on record for coastal areas of western Top End in the Northern Territory and north-eastern Kimberley in Western Australia. As a result of Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina some stations in these areas had record highest total rainfall for November, including Darwin Airport which has 84 years of data.

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

• parts of northern, central and eastern New South Wales
• areas in southern Queensland.

For New South Wales, area-averaged rainfall was 34% below the November average.

Significant weather and records

Thunderstorms in central Australia

A cold front moved across south Australia and southern parts of the NT on 2 November. The associated cloudband brought showers to central parts of the country. Rainfall totals were generally light to moderate but several severe thunderstorms brought damaging to destructive wind gusts to southern Northern Territory. The strongest wind gust was 137 km/h at Territory Grape Farm, its record annual highest daily wind gust. Alice Springs Airport recorded  a gust of 115 km/h, its second-highest wind gust in November in the 74 years of data. There were reports of fallen trees and power outages across Alice Springs.

Heavy rainfall in parts of Western Australia

A low pressure system and a trough over Western Australia combined with tropical moisture bringing widespread rain, showers and thunderstorms to coastal and inland parts of the state on 4 and 5 November. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 6 November, many stations in the state's South West Land Division recorded daily rainfall totals between 10 and 30 mm with locally higher totals. Severe thunderstorms brought hail and heavy rainfall to some areas and flash flooding was reported, including at Brookton and Jelcobine where in 60 minutes, 38.6 mm and 42.6 mm were recorded respectively. More than 1 million lightning strikes were observed over Western Australia and some ignited fires on 4 November.

Cool in the south-east

A low pressure system and the associated cold front crossed South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania on 7 and 8 November. These were followed by another cold front that moved across south-eastern Australia on 10 and 11 November. Fronts brought widespread light to moderate rainfall and temperatures up to 8 °C below the November average to parts of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales. Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 12.7 °C on 8 November, the lowest November daily maximum temperature for the city since 1994.

Highest daily rainfall totals were recorded in central and south-eastern Victoria in the 24 hours to 9 am on 9 November. Many stations observed daily totals of 30 to 50 mm with Mount Baw Baw recording 77.4 mm, its second-highest daily total in November. Snow fell in alpine areas in Victoria and southern New South Wales.

On 12 November, clear skies and light winds under a high pressure system following the front, combined with a cold airmass resulting in low daily minimum temperatures across south-eastern Australia. Many stations in south-eastern South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. had their record lowest minimum temperatures for November, including:

• 1.5 °C at Loxton Research Centre (South Australia, 42 years of data)
• 3.1 °C at Mildura Airport (Victoria, 80 years of data)
• 0.4 °C at Grenfell (New South Wales, 58 years of data).

The lowest daily minimum temperature recorded on 12 November was -6.2 °C at Mount Hotham (Victoria).

Severe thunderstorms in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales

Severe thunderstorms impacted much of the Australian east coast throughout November.

At the start of November, a low pressure trough near the east coast combined with tropical moisture, to produce severe thunderstorms over broad areas, from central New South Wales tablelands to Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders in Queensland. On 1 November, giant hailstones with diameter between 5 and 9 cm were observed at numerous locations including Taroom, Nobby, Yuleba and Cliffton in Queensland and Dorrigo, Inverell and Emmaville in New South Wales. There were many reports of damage to structures, cars and vegetation. Thunderstorms brought intense rainfall with daily totals at some stations exceeding 50 mm. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 2 November, Grafton Airport AWS (NSW) observed 85.6 mm, its record daily rainfall total for November, with 72.6 mm recorded in 30 minutes (from 5.30 to 6.00 pm).  Thunderstorms were associated with damaging winds with gusts exceeding 100 km/h at some stations. On 2 November, large to giant hail was reported in south-eastern Queensland near Yarraman, Kingaroy, Tamborine and Oxenford, while on 3 November severe thunderstorms impacted Sydney and hail (around 2 cm in diameter) was observed in many suburbs. Thunderstorms brought strong winds to Sydney Metro area with gusts exceeding 80 km/h, resulting in uprooted trees.

Between 14 and 16 November, a low pressure trough over inland Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales brought tropical moisture from the north, resulting in unsettled conditions and thunderstorms across a broad region. A thick cloudband extended from central parts of the Northern Territory, through Queensland and into eastern New South Wales bringing rainfall, showers and below average temperatures. On 15 November, severe thunderstorms impacted large parts of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Giant hailstones were observed east of Texas (Queensland) and near Moree (New South Wales). During this event, daily rainfall totals of 10 to 40 mm, locally higher, were recorded in much of central, southern and eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. The highest daily totals were recorded in the 24 hours to 9 am on 16 November when several Queensland stations reported more than 100 mm. A storm crossed the Sunshine Coast area bringing heavy rainfall and causing flash flooding; Kenilworth recorded 65 mm in 30 minutes, while Buderim and Maroochydore recorded 80 mm in one hour. 

Between 22 and 27 November, tropical moisture and surface troughs across eastern Australia generated more thunderstorms across Queensland and New South Wales. Severe thunderstorms resulted in heavy rainfall and damaging winds in south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.  On 23 November, there were reports of large to giant hail at many locations, including near Texas in New South Wales and in Beenleigh, Cedar Creek and Beaudesert in Queensland. Thunderstorms were accompanied with strong to damaging winds and Goondiwindi Airport (Queensland) recorded a wind gust of 100 km/h. On 24 November, more thunderstorms developed across inland New South Wales and southern Queensland. Severe thunderstorms mostly impacted Queensland's Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett and Southeast Coast districts. Giant hail was reported at many Brisbane suburbs and 13 cm hail was observed in the suburb of Chandler. Wind gusts in excess of 80  km/h were recorded at many stations, with strongest gusts reported at Gladstone Radar (120 km/h) and Rundle Island (117 km/h) in Queensland and White Cliffs AWS (117 km/h) in New South Wales. Widespread wind damage was observed across south-eastern Queensland including uprooted trees, damaged properties and downed powerlines, Strong to damaging winds associated with thunderstorms continued to impact New South Wales on 25 November, resulting in damaged buildings and dust-storms. On 26 November, severe thunderstorms developed over central and eastern parts of New South Wales, including Greater Sydney. Thousands of properties were without power due to fallen trees and damaged powerlines. The strongest wind gusts were recorded at Newcastle Nobbys Signal Station AWS  (119 km/h) and Trangie Research Station AWS (111 km/h), while Orange, Dubbo and Cabramurra recorded gusts of 109 km/h.

Severe thunderstorms in South Australia

On 22 November, a low pressure trough extended across central South Australia resulting in unstable conditions. Thunderstorms brought rainfall to south-central and south-eastern parts of the state, with daily rainfall totals between 20 and 40 mm. A severe thunderstorm passed over Mid North district, bringing damaging winds and large accumulations of small hail to the Port Pirie area. Port Pirie Airport AWS recorded a wind gust of 119 km/h, the second-highest daily wind gust in November for the station. Strong winds resulted in damage to property, uprooted trees and power outages. The State Emergency Service described this event as the most significant storm on record for the region.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina

Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina formed early on 19 November as the first tropical cyclone of the 2025-26 Australian season. Fina formed in the Arafura Sea off the north coast of the NT's Top End, about 315 km north north-east of Darwin. It tracked east north-eastward, briefly reaching Category 2 intensity late on 19 November. On 20 November, Fina weakened to Category 1 and started to track south then south-westward towards the Northern Territory coast. On 21 November, it re-intensified to a Category 2 and later in the day made landfall on the Cobourg Peninsula. On 22 November, Fina intensified to a Category 3 (severe strength) as it moved through the Van Diemen and Beagle Gulfs between the Tiwi Islands and the Darwin region. The tropical cyclone's eye passed around 50 km north of Darwin, bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall to the Darwin region and surrounds.

On 23 November, while moving parallel to the Northern Territory coast, Fina intensified to Category 4 system, with sustained winds of 185 km/h, wind gusts of 230 km/h and central pressure of 943 hPa. It approached the Kimberley coast of Western Australia on 24 November and made second landfall near Berkley River Mouth at 9:30 pm AWST as a Category 3 system. Fina continued to weaken as it moved over the Kimberley's north-east coast, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds along its track. It was downgraded to a tropical low on 25 November and dissipated the following day.

Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina was the first tropical cyclone in the Australian region for the 2025-26 season and the strongest tropical cyclone to pass within 100 km of Darwin since Cyclone Tracy in December 1974. The strongest observed wind gusts were 109 km/hr at Croker Island Airport on 21 November, and 107 km/hr at Darwin Airport on 22 November. Daily rainfall totals of 100 to 300 mm, and locally higher, were recorded across the Darwin region in the 24 hours to 9 am on 23 November, causing localised flooding. The highest daily total was 430.0 mm at Middle Point in the 24 hours to 9 am on 23 November. This is a November daily record for the Northern Territory, and the fourth-highest November daily rainfall total on record for Australia.

Hot conditions across parts of northern Australia

Between 20 and 30 November, areas with hot days and warm nights spread across large parts of the mainland. A low-intensity to severe heatwave conditions developed on 22 November across eastern parts of Western Australia, central and southern parts of the Northern Territory, northern South Australia and much of Queensland extending into northern New South Wales, with extreme heatwave conditions in parts of Queensland. From 26 November, areas impacted by heatwave conditions started to reduce but continued in parts of northern Western Australia, the Northern Territory, eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales, with severe heatwave conditions persisting along the Queensland coast. Heatwave Warnings were issued for affected areas.

Daily maximum temperatures were in the high 30s and low 40s and minimum temperatures in the mid to high 20s, up to 8 °C above the November average, with localised areas more than 10 °C above average on some days. Many stations  along the Queensland coast had record highest daily minimum temperatures for November on the 29th and 30th, including Townsville Aero (86 years of data) and Maryborough (66 years of data) which recorded 27.9 °C  and 25.1 °C  respectively on 29 November, and Mackay M.O. (67 years of data) and Gladstone Radar (68 years of data) which recorded 27.6 °C and 27.4 °C respectively on 30 November.

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.