Australia in July 2026

In brief

• Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in July was 1.14°C above the 1961–1990 average, the warmest since 2023.
• All states and territories had above average mean temperature in July. Tasmania and Queensland were within their top seventh- and tenth- warmest July on record since 1910, respectively.
• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in July was 1.22 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2023.
• Mean maximum temperatures were average to above average for much of the country.
• Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature in July was 1.06 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the highest since 2023.
• Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average across much of the country, and below average for some regions in northern South Australia and northern Western Australia.
• Slow moving high-pressure systems with an extended ridge over Australia were predominant during the month and resulted in generally settled conditions over the country and some abnormally high temperatures in Alpine areas. Cold fronts and onshore flows brought rainfall to some areas of south-eastern Australia.
• Australia's area-averaged rainfall total in July was 39.2% below the 1961–1990 average, the lowest since 2020.
• Rainfall was above average for much of northern Australia.
• Rainfall was below average for much of the west, large areas of eastern, and coastal southern Australia.

Temperatures

Australia's nationally averaged mean temperature in July was 1.14 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the warmest since 2023. Area average mean temperature was above the 1961–1990 average in all states and territories.  

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in July was 1.22 °C above the 1961–1990 average, and the mean minimum temperature in July was 1.06 °C above average.

July mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average for much of the country, except for some interior areas in Northern Territory and Western Australia and large parts of South Australia where maximum temperatures were similar to the historical average. Regions of very much above average (in the highest 10% of all July since 1910) mean maximum temperatures included:

• all of Tasmania
• eastern Victoria and New South Wales, with some highest on record areas in southern New South Wales and northern Victoria
• much of Queensland except areas in the northern tropics
• the west of Western Australia and areas in north-eastern Northern Territory.

July mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average for scattered areas in :

• eastern Victoria, south-eastern and north-western New South Wales, north-eastern extending to south-western South Australia
• south-western areas of Queensland and areas in the southern and central Northern Territory
• interior and the west of Western Australia
• most of Tasmania, except for central parts of the state

Mean minimum temperatures were below average in areas in south-eastern south Australia and northern 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

Australia's nationally averaged rainfall total in July was 39% below the 1961–1990 average. Except for the Northern Territory, the area-averaged rainfall totals for all states and Territories were below average.

July rainfall was below to very much below average (in the driest 10% of all Julys since 1900) for:

• western and southern parts of Western Australia
• south-eastern Queensland and scattered areas in central and northern regions
• parts of the east of New South Wales, eastern and western Victoria, southern and western South Australia
• small areas in eastern Tasmania.

Rainfall was above to very much above average (in the wettest 10% of all Julys since 1900) for:

• north-east of South Australia, south-western Queensland
• north-western areas of New South Wales
• south of the Northern Territory
• areas in north of Western Australia.

Significant weather and records

Cold fronts brought widespread rainfall, snow and low temperatures to the south-east

The first cold front brought rainfall to south-eastern South Australia, most of Victoria and New South Wales and northern Tasmania. Daily rainfall totals to 9 am on the 2nd were generally between 5 and 30 mm, with totals up to 50 mm, and locally higher, recorded in much of South Australia's Mount Lofty Ranges, elevated areas of north-eastern Victoria and parts of south-eastern and central New South Wales. Some stations had their record highest daily rainfall for July, Adelaide (West Terrace)/ Ngayirdapira received 33.0 mm, which was around half of its average July rainfall.

Some notable daily rainfall totals to 9am on 2 July include:

• 85.4 mm at Aldgate, South Australia (highest daily rainfall record for July at this site)
• 80.0 mm at Piccadilly, South Australia (highest daily rainfall record for July at this site)
• 70.8 mm at Whitlands (Burders Lane), Victoria
• 69.2 mm at Myrhee (Handcocks), Victoria
• 62.3 mm at Thredbo AWS, New South Wales

The second cold front moved over south-eastern Australia on the 2nd, with showers and thunderstorms in north-eastern Victoria, adjoining parts of New South Wales and northern Tasmania. Daily rainfall totals ranged generally between 10 and 30 mm, with totals up to 60 mm observed at some stations and up to 30 cm of snow was recorded in alpine areas of Victoria and New South Wales. Maximum wind gusts on the 2nd were greater than 80 km/h at many stations, with the strongest gust of 130 km/h recorded at Mount Hotham (Victoria) and Thredbo AWS (New South Wales).

The third front moved over Tasmania on the 3rd bringing patchy rain to the south-east of the country. The front was followed by a cold air mass from the Southern Ocean which spread across large parts of Australia, with daily maximum temperatures below the July average. Heavy rainfall on multiple days resulted a Major Flood Warning for Victoria's King River and Moderate Flood Warnings for Kiewa, Buffalo and Goulburn rivers.

Rainfall in central Australia

An upper trough that moved across central Australia on 3 and 4 July, resulted in a cloud band and showers across parts of southern Northern Territory, with daily rainfall totals generally between 10 and 30 mm, and locally higher. To 9 am on the 4th, The Garden station (73 years of data) recorded 41.8 mm, while to 9 am on 5 July, Hermannsburg (124 years of data) recorded 34.2 mm, their 4th and 5th highest daily totals in July respectively. Monthly average July rainfall for the region varies between 5 and 25 mm.

High pressure system in southern Australia and dominating ridge across the country

The weather pattern in July was mostly dominated by slow moving high pressure systems in the south of the country, maintaining ridges of high pressure over the continent.

Between 5 and 8 July, a high pressure system tracked through the Bight and intensified over Tasmania leading to a new national MSLP (1044.5 hp) record north-west of Hobart on the 6th which exceeded the previous national record dated back to 1967. The system brought cold mornings as well as onshore flow and showers to the south-east of the mainland. The system moved over to the east of the state on 10 July.

Some sites received their highest daily rainfall on record for July in the 24 hours to 9 am 14 July, including:

• 36 mm in Pound Creek (Victoria), and
• 65mm in Wayatinah (Saltas) (Tasmania)

Strong winds and thunderstorms in south-eastern Australia

A series of cold fronts crossed south-eastern Australia between 11 and 13 July, bringing widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, showers, hail, strong to damaging winds and high tide. The strongest gust of 163 km/h was recorded at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse on the 13th. The highest three-day total of 135.4 mm was recorded at Mount Buller in Victoria and up to 40 cm of snow was observed in alpine areas across the south-east of Australia. High tides were recorded across the south-east on the 12th and 13th, with water overtopping seaside walkways and car parks and inundating several coastal roads.

Following the passage of the cold front, an associated cold air mass moved in with a strong high-pressure system settling over south-eastern Australia, producing foggy and frosty mornings. On the 15th, dense fog resulted in flight cancellations and diversions at Adelaide Airport. By the 17th, cold and frosty conditions had affected large parts of the south-east.

As the high-pressure system persisted, clear skies and light winds promoted strong daytime warming, with several alpine locations across the south-east recording notably high daytime temperatures for this time of year, especially during 18 and 19 July. Several sites at the south-east recorded their highest daily maximum temperature on record for July, including Tuggeranong (Isabella Plains) AWS (31 years of data) with 18.7 °C on 19th, and Tasman Island with 17 °C on 19th (25 years of data).

Warm July temperatures in parts of southern Australia

Between 15 and 20 July, warm conditions developed across much of southern Australia as slow moving high pressure systems resulted in sunny days and directed warm northerly airflow towards the south. Daily maximum and minimum temperatures were 2 °C to 6 °C above average for July across large parts of southern Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales, and up to 10 °C above average temperatures in some areas. Some stations in the south-west of Western Australia had their record highest daily maximum temperature records including 23.0 °C at Cape Leeuwin (120 years of data) on the 15th. On the same day, Perth Metro (33 years of data) and Perth Aero (82 years of data) recorded 25.7 °C and 25.6 °C respectively, their second highest temperature In July. Between 16 and 18 July, a number of stations in south-western and southern parts of Western Australia, including some stations which have more than 60 years of data, had their record highest daily minimum temperatures for July, including 14.5 °C at Corrigin (79 years of data) and 15.0 °C at Wongan Hills (61 years of data) on 17 July

Due to the temperature inversion that formed under a strong high pressure system, alpine areas in the Australia's south-east observed high daily maximum and minimum temperatures between 17 and 20 July. Some stations had their record highest daily maximum temperatures for July, including 14.0 °C at Thredbo Village (47 years of data) in New South Wales on 18 July, and 13.0 °C at Falls Creek (36 years of data) in Victoria and 12.7 °C at Kunanyi/Mount Wellington (48 years of data) in Tasmania on the 19th. Several stations in Victoria also observed record highest July daily minimum temperatures during 18 to 20 July, including 5.7 °C at Mount Buller (42 years of data) on 19 July, while Kunanyi/Mount Wellington (48 years of data) in Tasmania observed 5.2 °C on 20 July.

Cold fronts brought rainfall to the south-west of Western Australia

A cold front crossed Western Australia on 16 July, followed by additional cold fronts on 17 and 18 July, bringing showers to the south-west of the state. Ahead of these systems, northerly winds generated unusually warm conditions, so that on the 15th, maximum temperatures were 6 to 10 °C above the July average across western parts of the state, while minimum temperatures were 4 to 8 °C above average across large areas of the west of Western Australia. On the 15th Perth Metro recorded 25.7 °C, which was the second highest daily maximum temperature for July at this station (with a composite observation of over 100 years).

Showers and strong winds along parts of the eastern coast

A low pressure system that developed on 18 July offshore from the border between New South Wales and Queensland brought showers, thunderstorms and strong wind to parts of the coast. The highest daily rainfall totals to 9 am on the 19th were recorded between Coffs Harbour (New South Wales) and Coolangatta (Queensland), with totals generally ranging between 10 and 40 mm. Wind gusts exceeded 70 km/h at many stations with the strongest gust of 109 km/h recorded at both Cape Moreton Lighthouse and Double Island Point Lighthouse (Queensland) on 19 July. Large waves, exceeding 6 m, impacted parts of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales coasts.

Some highest daily temperatures were recorded at the elevated areas, including 17.5°C at Mount Boyce and 19.5°C at Lithgow (Cooerwull) on the 21st and 19.2°C at Katoomba (Farnells Rd) on the 22nd.

Cold morning, showers and snow in the south-east

A strong high-pressure system brought cold mornings with frost and fog to parts of south-eastern Australia. From 18 to 22 July, fog persisted across parts of south-eastern South Australia, and inland Victoria and New South Wale. On the 23rd thick fog impacted south-eastern Queensland, disrupting flights from Brisbane Airport. Patchy frost was observed across large areas of south-eastern Australia as many stations recorded minimum temperatures below zero.

Cold fronts and low pressure troughs moved across south-eastern Australia on the 22nd and 23rd, bringing widespread light rain, showers, below average temperatures, strong winds and snow to the elevated areas of Tasmania, Victoria and southern New South Wales. Snow across Tasmania’s highlands, closed roads and prompted warnings from police.

Daily rainfall totals between 20 and 30 mm were recorded at several stations in western Tasmania and strong winds, exceeding 100 km/h, were recorded along exposed parts of Victoria's and Tasmania's southern coasts.

From the 24th another high pressure system moved slowly across the Bight, with frosty mornings and vigorous but easing windy conditions in southern Australia. South-westerly flows continued in western Tasmania and several locations received more than 40 mm on 25 July adding to saturated moisture conditions in the state and raising the flood warnings to moderate and minor in the Huon and Styx Rivers, respectively.

Wintery weather before return of dry skies

Between 24 to 27 July, a cold southerly airmass in wake of a cold front that passed over southeast Australia led to below average temperatures. Minimum temperatures were 2 to 4 °C below average across parts of eastern Australia and the interior, with temperatures up to 6 °C below average for northern New South Wales, southern and western Queensland and southern Northern Territory on some days. Minimum temperatures were below zero across elevated eastern and northern parts of New South Wales and southern Queensland for several days. The most notable minimum temperature recorded was -9.1°C at Glen Innes in New South Wales on the 25th, the stations coldest minimum temperature since July 2023, -5.0 °C at Applethorpe in Queensland on the 26th, the lowest minimum temperature observed at the station since July 2023 and -3.2 °C at Alice Springs Airport on the 26th , the stations coldest morning since July 2022.

A cold front moved over south-eastern Australia on 28 July. This system was associated with rainfall, strong to damaging winds and below average temperatures. In western and north-eastern Tasmania, falls between 25 to 50 mm were recorded in a 24 hour to 9 am the 29th, and the highest daily rainfall total was 38.0 mm at Cape Sorrell, the highest July daily rainfall for the station since 2019. Wind gusts exceeded 80 km/h at some southern coastal sites across Victoria and northern Tasmania and exceeded 100 km/h in alpine areas of Victoria and New South Wales. The highest wind gust was observed at 120 km/h at Thredbo AWS on the morning of the 29th. A cold southerly airmass behind this front brought cooler than average daytime temperatures across the south-east with several days of snowfall across the Alpine regions. By the end of the month, the cold front and rainfall had eased, as a ridge of high pressure system extended from the east coast to Western Australia with settled and sunny weather and cold nights for much of the country.

Further information

A summary and tables of records for each state and Territory are available in the individual regional climate summaries, issued on 5 August 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.