Adelaide city centre in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Adelaide city centre sees average daytime highs around 24°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 62 mm of rain over about 10 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early December to 24°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Adelaide city centre's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Adelaide city centre's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 24°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 16°C
- Rainfall
- 62 mm
- 10 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.3
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Adelaide city centre in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 22°C in early December to 24°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Adelaide city centre reaches about 24°C and drops to 16°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Adelaide city centre weather by month
How the three summer months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24° / 17° | 19 | 3.2 | 14.1 | 8.5 |
| Feb | 24° / 17° | 18 | 2.6 | 13.3 | 8.6 |
| Mar | 22° / 16° | 19 | 3.5 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
| Apr | 20° / 14° | 36 | 5.6 | 11.1 | 7.0 |
| May | 17° / 12° | 52 | 8.6 | 10.2 | 5.5 |
| Jun | 14° / 10° | 61 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 4.2 |
| Jul | 13° / 9° | 64 | 10.3 | 9.9 | 3.8 |
| Aug | 14° / 9° | 58 | 10.7 | 10.7 | 4.0 |
| Sep | 16° / 10° | 53 | 9.6 | 11.8 | 5.0 |
| Oct | 18° / 12° | 35 | 6.4 | 12.9 | 6.5 |
| Nov | 21° / 13° | 30 | 5.3 | 13.8 | 7.2 |
| Dec | 23° / 15° | 25 | 4.6 | 14.3 | 7.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 56% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Adelaide city centre gets around 62 mm of rain over 10 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Summer
Winds average 18 km/h across summer.
Sunrise & sunset in Summer
Daylight runs from about 14 h 12 min in early December to 12 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Summer
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across summer, about 7.4 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Adelaide city centre
In summer, Adelaide city centre overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Adelaide city centre sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Is summer a good time to visit Adelaide city centre?
Our two travel scores rate summer for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
summer is one of the better times to visit Adelaide city centre for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Adelaide city centre in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Adelaide city centre sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 16°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes. About 10 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Adelaide city centre in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across summer — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in February at about 22°C and coldest in August near 13°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Dec 22 to Apr 3 — about 3.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 21 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 20 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 22 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 21 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 19 | Cool |
| May | 17 | Cool |
| Jun | 15 | Cool |
| Jul | 14 | Bracing |
| Aug | 13 | Bracing |
| Sep | 14 | Bracing |
| Oct | 16 | Cool |
| Nov | 18 | Cool |
| Dec | 20 | Cool |
UV index in Adelaide city centre in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 13 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Adelaide city centre peaks around January 10 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 3 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 9 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 13 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Extreme |
| Feb | 11 | Extreme |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 5 | High |
| May | 3 | Moderate |
| Jun | 3 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 6 | High |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 10 | Extreme |
| Dec | 13 | Extreme |
Where is Adelaide city centre?
Adelaide city centre sits at 34.9°S, 138.6°E, 58 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Adelaide, 0.0 km away.
Topography around Adelaide city centre
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Adelaide city centre.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Adelaide city centre has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 63 m around an average of 43 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 714 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 700 m.
The land around Adelaide city centre is covered by artificial surfaces (65%) and trees (25%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (39%) and trees (32%) within 16 km, and water (36%), grassland (27%) and cropland (24%) within 80 km.
Australia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type I
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 90% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $65,130
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.9 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 0.9
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 4.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Adelaide city centre (-34.9287°, 138.6033°, elevation 58 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.