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Weather Overview for Brisbane

Brisbane has a subtropical climate with hot summers, warm winters, and plenty of sunshine year round. The city sits on the southeast coast of Queensland in the northeast of Australia. As it is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed to those in the northern hemisphere, so the hottest part of the year falls around Christmas while the coolest falls between June and August. Brisbane is known for its pleasant weather. However, it sits on the flood plain of Brisbane River so is sometimes subject to flooding, and in contrast between 2001 and 2008 Brisbane and nearby regions experienced the most relentless drought in more than a century. Dam levels throughout the district fell beneath more than a quarter of their normal capacity and only recently rose to their usual levels.

Summer, from December till February, is hot and sticky with abundant rainfall. In contrast to the rest of Australia, southeast Queensland commonly has the highest percentage of precipitation and humidity during the summer. People travelling from more moderate climates may find summer too hot, particularly on windless days when the high temperature builds up in the valley.

The average high temperature gets up to 29°C and the average low to 21°C for most of the season. It regularly gets into the 30s and the record high is 42°C. With soaring humidity, the heat is sometimes quite uncomfortable. It is sunniest at the start of the season with an average of nine hours of sunshine per day in December which reduces to eight for the rest of the season. This is Brisbane’s wet season and torrential downpours occur frequently, usually with high winds, thunder and lightning. Flash floods can develop but once a storm is over the sun usually comes out again. The sea gets warmer and warmer, peaking at 27°C in February. Holidaymakers tend to target the hottest part of the year, but in Brisbane that is probably not advisable. While summer does see plenty of beautiful weather, the rest of the year offers more comfortable conditions in which to enjoy the city.

Autumn, from March till May, cools off slightly and sees a rapid reduction in rainfall. The average high temperature drops from the high 20s at the start of the season to the mid 20s by its end. Nights gradually become more comfortable and by May you might even want a light extra layer. Rainfall lessens in quantity and frequency as the season progresses but heavy showers are still common. Sunshine levels do drop, but even May, Brisbane’s gloomiest month of the year, still sees an average of six hours of sunshine per day. The sea remains very warm in the mid 20s.

Winter, from June till August, is pleasantly warm with cool nights and quite dry. Brisbane's hinterland (20 mins from the city) can however become very chilly during the winter, striking lows of 5°C. In the city the average high temperature drops into the low 20s while the average low sits around 10°C. It can still get into the mid 20s but generally it is quite mild, and you will need a sweater at night. It is pretty sunny with sunshine levels increasing to an average of eight hours per day in August. Rainfall lessens to the odd shower and the sea gets down to 21°C. Towards the end of the season, bushfires have been known to happen.

Spring, from September till November, is hit and sunny, and starts off very dry. The average high temperature creeps up through the mid 20s, reaching 27°C in November, and nights become warm again. Sunshine levels get up to a fantastic nine hours per day and the sea warms to 24°C by the end of the season. The start of spring sees very little rain and so this is when bushfires are most likely. From October the rains return. Late winter and early spring are commonly thought to offer Brisbane’s most enjoyable weather due to the absence of rain and extreme heat, and the abundance of sunshine.