Australia in September 2026

In brief

• Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in September was 2.71 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-highest on record for September since national observations began in 1910.

• The area-averaged mean temperature for every state and territory was in the top 10 highest on record for September.

• Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in September was 2.90 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the third-highest on record.

• Australia's area-averaged mean minimum temperature was 2.52 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the highest on record for September.

• For Western Australia and South Australia, the area-averaged mean minimum temperature were the highest on record for September.

• Both mean maximum and mean minimum temperatures were average to above average across most of Australia.

• Australia's area-averaged September rainfall total was 17% below the 1961–1990 average.

• The area-averaged rainfall was below average for all states and territories except for Western Australia.

• For New South Wales, the area-averaged rainfall in September was the fourth-lowest on record since national observations began in 1900.

• Western Australia had its second-wettest September on record, with the area-averaged rainfall 147% above average.

• September rainfall was above average for much of Western Australia, western South Australia, far north Queensland and parts of the Northern Territory. Rainfall was below average for most of Australia's east and south-east, some pockets in the north and parts of the south-west.

Temperatures

Australia's area-averaged mean temperature in September was 2.71 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the second-highest on record for September since national observations began in 1910, the highest since 2013.

New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia each had their second-warmest September on record.

Australia's area-averaged mean maximum temperature in September was 2.90 °C above average, the third-highest on record. Area-averaged mean maximum temperatures for all states and territories were in the top 10 highest on record.

September mean maximum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean maximum temperatures were the highest on record for parts of northern and eastern Tasmania and small areas in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia. Some stations had their record highest September mean maximum temperatures.

Mean maximum temperatures were below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) for parts of Queensland's Cape York Peninsula.

The national area-averaged mean minimum temperature in September was 2.52 °C above the 1961–1990 average, the highest on record.

For Western Australia, the area-averaged mean minimum temperature was the highest on record for September, 3.19 °C above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2023 and 2024.

For South Australia, the area averaged mean minimum temperature was the highest on record, 3.24 °C above average, surpassing the previous record set in 2013.

Mean minimum temperatures were above to very much above average (in the highest 10% of all Septembers since 1910) for most of Australia. Mean minimum temperatures were the highest on record for large parts of Western Australia, western and northern South Australia, south-western Queensland and the adjacent areas of New South Wales. Many stations had their record highest September mean minimum temperatures.

Mean minimum temperatures were below average in parts of north-eastern Queensland and small areas in eastern Top End (Northern Territory) and eastern South 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 September was 17% below the 1961–1990 average.

The area-averaged rainfall was below average for all states and territories except for Western Australia.

September rainfall was below to very much below average (in the lowest 10% of all Septembers since 1900) for:

• Victoria
• most of Tasmania, New South Wales and eastern South Australia
• central and southern Queensland
• parts of Western Australia's west and south coast and adjacent inland areas
• areas in northern and south-eastern Northern Territory.

New South Wales and Victoria had their fourth-driest and sixth-driest September on record respectively.

With the area-averaged rainfall 39% below average, Tasmania had its driest September since 2015.

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

• much of Western Australia
• most of western South Australia
• far north Queensland
• north-eastern parts of the Northern Territory.

Rainfall was the highest on record for large parts of Western Australia's Southern Interior and Goldfields districts, and some stations had their record highest total rainfall for September.

Western Australia had its second-wettest September on record, with the area-averaged rainfall 147% above average; it was the wettest September since 1904.

Significant weather and records

Warm start to the month

A high pressure systems brought calm and sunny days between 1 and 7 September, and large parts of central and eastern Australia observed daily maximum temperatures up to 8 °C, and locally up to 12 °C, above average, with daily maximum temperatures in the low- to mid-30s. On 5 September, many stations on the New South Wales central coast observed early season maximum temperature records (i.e. the highest temperature observed so early in the season), including:

• 32.4 °C at Sydney Airport AMO (88 years of data)
• 32.9 °C at Bankston Airport AWS (59 years of data)
• 32.8 °C at Williamtown RAAF (78 years of data).

On 6 September, warm conditions moved to north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland where Gympie (61 years of data) observed 34.5 °C, while on 7 September Collinsville Post Office (68 years of data) observed 34.6 °C, both early season temperature records for these stations.

Sydney (Observatory Hill) had 6 consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures above 23.0 °C, the first time so early in September for the composite record starting in 1859. In early September, hot and windy conditions elevated fire danger ratings and lead to many bushfires across north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland.

Strong winds across the south-east

A strong cold front crossed Tasmania on 3 September and brought strong to damaging winds, rain, isolated thunderstorms and snow to elevated areas. Multiple stations recorded wind gusts exceeding 80 km/h. The strongest gust was 157 km/h at Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse (Tasmania), the fourth-highest in September for this station. King Island Airport (Tasmania) observed a wind gust of 128 km/h, its second-highest gust in September. Winds re-intensified on 5 September, associated with the passage of another strong cold front. Wind gusts exceeded 100 km/h at many stations along the south-east coast and in alpine areas of north-eastern Victoria and south-eastern New South Wales, with the strongest gusts of 122 km/h and 115 km/h recorded at Hogan Island (Victoria) and Thredbo AWS (New South Wales) respectively. Daily rainfall totals were the highest in the alpine areas with 30 to 80 mm recorded to 9 am on 6 September. The highest total of 80.8 mm was recorded at Perisher Valley AWS (New South Wales).

A cold front and low pressure trough moved across south-eastern Australia on 20 and 21 September, bringing damaging to locally destructive winds, showers, a sharp drop in temperatures and snow to elevated areas in Tasmania. Wind gusts exceeded 80 km/h at multiple stations on both days. The strongest gusts were 137 km/h and 135 km/h at Scotts Peak Dam and Maatsuyker Island Lighthouse respectively (both in Tasmania) on 20 September, in north-westerly winds preceding the cold front. There were reports of fallen trees and widespread power outages.

Wet in inland Western Australia

A cold front crossed the south-west of Western Australia on 5 September and transitioned into a low pressure system the following day. The slow-moving system and associated low pressure trough brought strong to damaging winds, widespread rain and isolated thunderstorms to much of inland Western Australia. Leonara Aero recorded 58.8 mm in the 24 hours to 9 am on 7 September, the second-highest daily rainfall total in September in the composite record (129 years of data), while Warburton Airfield (75 years of data) had its record highest daily rainfall total for September to 9 am on 9 September. Four-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 9 September) ranged between 10 and 50 mm, and locally higher, in large parts of the Goldfields and Southern Interior districts. Average September rainfall in these areas is generally less than 10 mm.

Warm across large parts of the country

From 15 September, a low pressure trough which developed near the Australian west coast directed warm airflow from the north of the country towards the west and south-west resulting in daytime temperatures up to 12 °C above the September average. Many stations had their early season maximum temperature records, and several stations had record highest daily maximum temperature for September, including 31.8 °C at Albany (84 years of data) on 17 September.

Nights were also warm with minimum temperatures up to 10 °C above average and locally higher. On 17 and 18 September, many stations had their early season minimum temperature records, and some had their record highest daily minimum temperature for September, including:

• 19.2 °C at Karnet (61 years of data) on 17 September
• 18.0 °C at Narrogin (112 years of data) on 17 September
• 15.7 °C at Manjimup (70 years of data) on 17 September
• 22.5 °C at Murchinson (61 years of data) on 18 September

On 18 September, warm conditions started to move eastwards pushed by an approaching cold front. Daytime temperatures up to 12 °C above the September average extended across most of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, New South Wales and southern Queensland. Several stations in Tasmania had their record highest daily maximum temperature for September on the 20th, and 27.7 °C at Hobart (Ellerslie Road), was the station's sixth-highest for September (141 years of data). On 21 September, some stations in eastern New South Wales had their early season maximum temperature records, including 35.4 °C at Williamtown RAAF (78 years of data), its fifth-highest for September.

Widespread rainfall in southern Western Australia

From 22 September, a surface low pressure trough interacted with an upper-level low generating thunderstorms and showers across parts of inland Western Australia. On 25 September, the surface trough had deepened into a low pressure system which generated widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, some severe, and showers. The highest daily rainfall totals during this event were observed during 26 September, as severe thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to the Gascoyne and Goldfields districts. In the 24 hours to 9 am on 27 September, rainfall totals between 10 and 40 mm, and locally higher, were observed at many stations in the South West Land Division and Goldfields districts, and some stations had their record highest daily rainfall totals for September, including 50.6 mm at Edjudina (126 years of data) and 55.4 mm at Wattening (114 years of data). On the same day, Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport (88 years of data) observed 29.4 mm, its third-highest September daily rainfall. Five-day rainfall totals (ending 9 am on 30 September) of more than 50 mm were recorded across most of the Goldfields district, noting that average September rainfall in this area is 5 to 25 mm.

 Warm end of the month

At the end of the month, an approaching cold front directed very warm air from the north towards the south-east of the country resulting in both daily maximum and minimum temperatures up to 14 °C above average for large areas. On 29 September, some stations in South Australia had their record highest daily maximum temperature for September, including:

• 35.2 °C at Edinburgh RAAF (54 years of data)
• 35.6 °C at Parafield Airport (70 years of data)
• 27.9 °C at Mount Lofty (36 years of data)
• 36.2 °C at Murray Bridge (61 years of data)

Adelaide (West Terrace / ngayirdapira) recorded 34.4 °C, its second-highest September daily maximum temperature in 102 years.

On 30 September, several stations in Victoria and Tasmania had their record highest daily minimum temperatures for September.

Further information

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