Australia in June 2026

In brief

• Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in June was 1.50 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-warmest on record since 1910 and the warmest since 1996.

• All states and territories except for Western Australia and the Northern Territory were within their respective top ten warmest Junes on record since 1910.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in June was 1.32 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the ninth-warmest on record since 1910.

• Mean maximum temperatures were above average for much of the country except for southern Western Australia and parts of the inland Northern Territory.

• Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature in June was 1.68 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-warmest on record since 1910.

• Mean minimum temperatures were above average for much of the country except for the south-west of Western Australia and some inland areas across the north.

• Slow moving high-pressure systems in the first half of the month resulted in extended periods of unseasonably warm conditions for the eastern half of the country.

• Australia's area-averaged rainfall total in June was 27% above the 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2016.

• Rainfall was above average for most of southern Australia except for parts of south-west Western Australia, and in parts of the Northern Territory and western Queensland.

• Rainfall was below average in eastern areas of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, and parts of Western Australia.

Temperatures

Australia's nationally averaged mean temperature in June was 1.50 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the fifth-warmest on record since 1910, when national observations began, and the warmest since 1996. All states and territories except for Western Australia and the Northern Territory were within their respective top ten warmest Junes on record.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in June was 1.32 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the ninth-warmest on record, and the mean minimum temperature in June was 1.68 °C above average, the fifth-warmest on record.

June mean maximum temperatures were above average for much of the country except for southern Western Australia, adjoining areas of South Australia and some inland areas of the Northern Territory. Regions of very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Junes since 1910) mean maximum temperatures included:

• all of Tasmania, with parts of the north and west having their highest June mean maximum temperature on record
• most of Victoria and New South Wales
• much of Queensland except for the north
• eastern South Australia and the Northern Territory.

June mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average for:

• all of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia
• southern areas of Queensland and the north of the Northern Territory
• much of Western Australia.

Mean minimum temperatures were average to below average for the south-west of Western Australia and in inland areas across the north of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland.

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

Australia's nationally averaged rainfall total in June was 27% above the 1961–1990 average, the highest for June since 2016. The area-averaged rainfall total for all states and Territories was above average.

June rainfall was above to very much above average (in the wettest 10% of all Junes since 1900) for:

• South Australia, western and central Victoria and parts of Tasmania
• western areas of New South Wales and Queensland
• parts of the Top End and in the south of the Northern Territory
• central regions of Western Australia.

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

• northern and south-western parts of Western Australia
• parts of central Northern Territory
• parts of the east of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

Significant weather and records

Strong cold fronts across southern Australia

Between 1 and 5 June, southern coastal regions of Australia were impacted by two strong cold fronts, along with their associated surface troughs and low pressure systems. These systems brought strong winds and rough seas to coastal regions, and widespread moderate to heavy rainfall. Daily rainfall totals between the 1st and 3rd were greater than 25 mm across northern Tasmania, parts of south-eastern South Australia and central and north-eastern Victoria. On the 3rd and 4th, a surface trough  associated with a low pressure system strengthened over Bass Strait. Daily rainfall totals of 25 to 50 mm were recorded to 9am on the 4th across south-western Victoria and southern Tasmania, with 15 to 50 mm recorded to 9am on the 5th in central, south-western and eastern Victoria. The highest daily total was 84.2 mm at Wilson Promontory Lighthouse on the 4th, the station's highest daily June rainfall (153 years of data). Melbourne (Olympic Park) recorded 18.6 mm on the 5th, its highest June daily rainfall since 2018. The rainfall led to minor flooding along the Mersey, St Pauls and South Esk Rivers in Tasmania and the Kiewa River in Victoria. The systems generated strong to damaging wind gusts, over 80 km/h, across coastal and alpine areas of the south-east for several days, including:

• 133 km/h at Thrdebo AWS (NSW) on the 2nd
• 119 km/h at Hogan Island (Tas) on the 3rd
• 115 km/h at Maatsuyker Island (Tas) and Kunanyi (Mount Wellington Pinnacle) (Tas) on the 5th

The systems also caused abnormally high tides and inundation of low-lying areas along the South Australian and Victorian coasts, including Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne.

Unseasonably warm in the south-east

From 6 to 18 June, large parts of northern and eastern Australia experienced unseasonably warm temperatures. This resulted from high pressure systems moving slowly over southern Australia before becoming blocked in the Tasman Sea. The south-east saw extended periods of maximum and minimum temperatures up to 6 °C above average, with persistent northerly winds bringing warm air from the interior to the region. A number of sites had their highest June maximum temperature on record, including:

• 18.3 °C at Cape Sorell in Tasmania on the 12th (29 years of data)
• 23.4 °C at Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) in Victoria on the 16th (21 years of data)
• 20.3 °C at Flinders Island Airport in Tasmania on the 18th (30 years of data)

Sydney (Observatory Hill) recorded 15 consecutive days of maximum temperatures of at least 20.0 °C (7th to 21st). This was a record for June, with temperature observations in the composite Observatory Hill record starting in 1859. The previous June record was 9 consecutive days in 1919. Hobart (Ellerslie Road) had 9 consecutive days of at least 15.0 °C, exceeding the previous June record of 7 days in 2002 (with temperature records starting in 1882).

Many sites across the south-east had their highest June minimum temperature on record, including:

• 14.2 °C at Wagga Wagga AMO on 11 June (85 years of data)
• 14.7 °C at Penrith Lakes AWS on 12 June (31 years of data)
• 14.2 °C at Avalon Airport on 13 June (32 years of data)
• 14.4 °C at Mount Gambier Aero in South Australia on 17 June (85 years of data)
• 14.2 °C at Marrawah in Tasmania on 17 June (56 years of data)
• 14.6 °C at Melbourne Airport on 17 June (56 years of data)
• 16.2 °C at Melbourne Olympic Park on 18 June (composite records start in 1855)

Inland trough over southern Queensland

Between 10 and 11 June, an inland trough moved east across Queensland's southern and interior regions and northern New South Wales. This system brought rainfall to large parts of western and southern Queensland and northern areas of New South Wales with daily rainfall totals greater than 10 mm, and locally over 25 mm, in the 24 hours to 9 am on the 11th. Monthly average June rainfall for the region is 25 to 50 mm. The system moved towards the coast, with showers bringing daily rainfall totals, to 9am on the 12th of 15 to 25 mm, locally higher, to south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales. The highest daily rainfall was 55.0 mm at Pratten in south-eastern Queensland, its highest June daily total since 1979.

Northwest cloudband across the country

Between 11 and 14 June, a north-west cloudband brought widespread rainfall from north-west Western Australia extending towards south-eastern Australia as it linked up with a cold front. On the 11th, a trough over the Pilbara and interior of Western Australia interacted with a trough and cold front moving across southern parts of the state. Daily rainfall of 15 to 50 mm was recorded in the 24 hours to 9am on the 12th across an area extending from Port Hedland to Esperance. Notable higher totals were recorded in the Gascoyne district, including 81.2 mm at Shark Bay Airport, its highest June rainfall since 2018. Several sites had their highest June daily rainfall on record. The average June rainfall in coastal regions of the Gascoyne and Pilbara regions is 25 to 50 mm, decreasing to 10 to 25 mm further inland.

The system then moved towards the south-east, with daily rainfall totals to 9 am on the 13th of 15 to 25 mm and locally higher, in south-east Western Australia and the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia.  The system continued towards Victoria, Tasmania and southern New South Wales, generating light to moderate falls. Daily rainfall totals to 9 am on the 14th of 10 to 25 mm, and higher in elevated areas, were recorded across northern and western Tasmania and central and north-eastern Victoria.

A low pressure system that formed on the 15th behind the cold front brought onshore flow with heavy rain to parts of the south coast of Western Australia. Esperance Aero recorded 89.2 mm in the 24 hours to 9am on the 16th, its highest June daily rainfall on record (57 years of data).

Unseasonably cool and wet in the north

Between 18 and 19 June, the cloudband that had crossed the south of the country in the previous days extended into western and northern Queensland and the Top End of the Northern Territory. This brought unseasonably cool conditions to northern and western Queensland, with maximum temperatures 8 to 10° C below average on the 19th. Some sites had their coldest daytime temperature since at least July 2023, including 14.2 °C at Mount Isa Aero. The cloudband also brought unseasonable showers and storms to parts of the Northern Territory Top End and western Queensland, with daily rainfall totals between 15 and 25 mm recorded in the regions in the 24 hours to 9am on the 19th or 20th. For many sites in the Top End, this was their wettest June day on record, including:

• 14.0 mm at Humpty Doo Collard Road on the 20th (43 years of data)
• 13.4 mm at Wandie Creek on the 19th (28 years of data)
• 8.4 mm at Batchelor Airport on the 19th (33 years of data)

These totals are unusual for the dry season, when the average June rainfall for the western Top End is less than 1 mm.

Strong cold front at the end of the month

Between 26 and 30 June, a cold front and associated low pressure system moved across Western Australia and into the south-east of the country. This system was associated with several days of rainfall with localised thunderstorms in the south-west and strong to damaging winds. Daily rainfall totals in the 24 hours to 9am on the 27th of 15 to 25 mm, locally higher, were recorded across the south-west. Maximum wind gusts on the 26th and 27th across south-west coastal regions were greater than 60 km/h, with the strongest gust of 109 km/h recorded at Cape Leeuwin on the 27th. This system was also associated with hazardous surf conditions from Albany to Shark Bay, with sea levels at Hillarys Boat Harbour, in northern Perth, around 40 cm above the Highest Astronomical Tide (HAT). Areas affected by coastal erosion from the cold front at the start of the month were again impacted, including at Lancelin.

The system then travelled eastwards and combined with moist tropical air to form a broad band of rain extending from southern Northern Territory, South Australia, and across south-eastern Australia. For the 24 hours to 9am on the 30th, daily rainfall totals of 10 to 50 mm extended from south-western Queensland through western New South Wales and into northern and central Victoria and northern Tasmania. Bendigo Airport (Victoria) recorded 49.2 mm, with the highest June daily rainfall for the city (in the composite record) since 1898. Flood Warnings or Watches were issued for a number of river catchments in Victoria and Tasmania.

Further information

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