Adelaide Hills in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Adelaide Hills sees average daytime highs around 26°C and overnight lows near 14°C, with 68 mm of rain over about 12 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 24°C in early December to 26°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels dry.
Summer is Adelaide Hills's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Adelaide Hills's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 26°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 14°C
- Rainfall
- 68 mm
- 12 wet days
- Avg wind
- 13 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Adelaide Hills in Summer
Over the season highs climb from about 24°C in early December to 26°C by late February.
A typical summer day in Adelaide Hills reaches about 26°C and drops to 14°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Adelaide Hills 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 | 27° / 14° | 21 | 3.5 | 14.1 | 7.8 |
| Feb | 27° / 15° | 18 | 2.8 | 13.3 | 8.0 |
| Mar | 24° / 13° | 18 | 3.4 | 12.3 | 8.1 |
| Apr | 21° / 11° | 33 | 5.3 | 11.1 | 7.2 |
| May | 17° / 9° | 44 | 8.4 | 10.2 | 5.5 |
| Jun | 14° / 7° | 51 | 9.3 | 9.7 | 4.1 |
| Jul | 13° / 6° | 56 | 10.4 | 9.9 | 3.7 |
| Aug | 14° / 7° | 56 | 10.8 | 10.7 | 4.2 |
| Sep | 17° / 8° | 55 | 9.7 | 11.8 | 5.5 |
| Oct | 20° / 9° | 36 | 6.8 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 23° / 11° | 34 | 6 | 13.8 | 7.5 |
| Dec | 25° / 13° | 29 | 5.3 | 14.3 | 7.8 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Adelaide Hills gets around 68 mm of rain over 12 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 13 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 Hills
In summer, Adelaide Hills overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Adelaide Hills sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Is summer a good time to visit Adelaide Hills?
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 Hills for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Adelaide Hills in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Adelaide Hills sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 14°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection. About 12 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Adelaide Hills 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 31 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 Hills 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 Hills 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 Hills?
Adelaide Hills sits at 34.9°S, 138.7°E, 426 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Adelaide city centre, 10 km away.
Topography around Adelaide Hills
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Adelaide Hills.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Adelaide Hills has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 462 m around an average of 317 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 713 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 700 m.
The land around Adelaide Hills is covered by trees (77%) within 3 km, trees (49%), artificial surfaces (30%) and grassland (20%) within 16 km, and water (32%), grassland (29%) 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 Hills (-34.9112°, 138.7073°, elevation 426 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.