Weather
The Weather around NSW
New South Wales is famous for its blue skies and sunshine, which residents enjoy all year round. The state is blessed with mostly temperate weather, though vast differences in climates exist between different regions. In Australia, winter falls in the middle of the year and summer at the end.
Northern NSW
As a general rule, the further north you travel the hotter Australia becomes. In NSW, you will find sub-tropical zones around the northeast coast, where temperatures range from mild to hot throughout the year. This region also has the state's highest rainfall, which gives many popular beach towns such as Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour their lush landscapes.
Arid deserts fill the state's northwest, particularly near the state borders of Queensland and South Australia. Here temperatures soar in summer and are warm for most of the year, though plunge at night.
Southern NSW
Australia's largest snowfields are located in NSW's southern alpine region, where the ski towns of Thredbo and Perisher are swathed in snow during winter. NSW's official ski season runs from June to October and usually peaks in July and August, when the weather is at its coldest.
Outside these months, NSW's snowy alpine regions are transformed into verdant bushland and mountainous areas where temperatures can soar in summer.
The Southern Highlands are located north of NSW's ski fields and share similar climates. Although snow is rare at this latitude and elevation, the towns of Berrima and Bowral have a distinctly alpine climate in winter.
Eastern NSW
Year-round sea breezes help regulate NSW's coastal temperatures, which fluctuate with the seasons, though are generally temperate.
The state's major cities of Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong are situated on the coast, where people enjoy alfresco lifestyles and mild climates throughout the year. The eastern coast of NSW is renowned for its sunshine – in Sydney, the state capital, there are only 23 days a year when the sun doesn't shine.
Much of NSW's rainfall is concentrated along the state's eastern seaboard, which makes it particularly lush and green. Mountain ranges rise inland from the coast and run the length of the state. Here the weather is hot in summer, with morning frosts in winter.
Fertile grazing lands and agricultural pastures are situated beyond the coast. Further inland, temperatures take on a more extreme nature, becoming warmer in summer and cooler during winter.
Western NSW
Western NSW is home to some of the famous deserts of the Australian outback, and are typically hot and dry. Temperatures in western NSW soar in summer, though can drop dramatically in winter and in the evenings.
In fact, temperature ranges become more extreme the further west you travel as the landscape becomes more arid – northwest NSW is the driest area in the state, with year-round sunshine.
The arid climate does not detract from the striking natural beauty in western NSW. The desert landscape may appear barren, but a closer inspection reveals a wealth of natural beauty.
| Location | January (summer) | July (winter) |
|---|---|---|
Albury (Murray/Murrumbidgee) |
15.5° – 31.2° Celsius (59.9° – 88.2° Fahrenheit) | 2.7° – 13.0° Celsius |
Bathurst (Central West) |
13.6° – 28.4° Celsius (56.5° – 83.1° Fahrenheit) | 0.9° – 11.8° Celsius |
Broken Hill (Far West) |
19.0° – 33.4° Celsius (66.2° – 92.1° Fahrenheit) | 4.8° – 15.4° Celsius |
Byron Bay (North Coast) |
20.8° – 27.5° Celsius (69.4° – 81.5° Fahrenheit) | 11.7° – 19.3° Celsius |
Gosford (Central Coast) |
16.9° – 27.6° Celsius (62.4° – 81.7° Fahrenheit) | 4.8° – 17.5° Celsius |
Newcastle (Hunter) |
19.2° – 25.6° Celsius (66.6° – 78.1° Fahrenheit) | 8.4° – 16.7° Celsius |
Perisher Valley Ski Village (South East and Tablelands) |
5.8° – 19.2° Celsius (42.4° – 66.6° Fahrenheit) | -5.0° – 2.4° Celsius |
Sydney (Sydney) | 18.6° – 25.8° Celsius | 8° – 16.2° Celsius |
Tamworth (New England–North West) |
17.4° – 31.9° Celsius (63.3° – 89.4° Fahrenheit) | 2.9° – 15.5° Celsius |
Wollongong (Illawarra) |
17.0° – 26.0° Celsius (62.6° – 78.8° Fahrenheit) | 7.9° – 16.7° Celsius |
More information
For detailed climate information on specific locations in NSW visit the Bureau of Meteorology.