Sydney Central Business District in Summer
In summer (December, January and February), Sydney Central Business District sees average daytime highs around 24°C and overnight lows near 20°C, with 225 mm of rain over about 28 wet days across the season. It is the warmest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across summer, and the air most often feels muggy.
Summer is Sydney Central Business District's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Sydney Central Business District's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 24°C
- warmest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 20°C
- Rainfall
- 225 mm
- 28 wet days
- Avg wind
- 18 km/h
- Travel score
- 7.1
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Sydney Central Business District in Summer
Across summer, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 24°C.
A typical summer day in Sydney Central Business District reaches about 24°C and drops to 20°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is January, the coolest December.
Sydney Central Business District 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° / 20° | 72 | 9.3 | 14 | 7.2 |
| Feb | 24° / 20° | 93 | 10.3 | 13.3 | 6.9 |
| Mar | 23° / 19° | 82 | 11.6 | 12.3 | 6.8 |
| Apr | 21° / 17° | 77 | 10.5 | 11.2 | 6.7 |
| May | 19° / 14° | 79 | 9.7 | 10.3 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 17° / 12° | 97 | 10.3 | 9.8 | 5.6 |
| Jul | 16° / 11° | 56 | 7.7 | 10 | 5.8 |
| Aug | 17° / 11° | 53 | 6.6 | 10.7 | 6.4 |
| Sep | 19° / 13° | 50 | 6.7 | 11.8 | 6.9 |
| Oct | 20° / 15° | 59 | 8 | 12.9 | 6.8 |
| Nov | 21° / 17° | 72 | 9.1 | 13.8 | 6.8 |
| Dec | 23° / 19° | 60 | 8.6 | 14.2 | 7.2 |
Cloud cover in Summer
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time across summer.
Chance of precipitation in Summer
Sydney Central Business District gets around 225 mm of rain over 28 wet days across summer. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Summer
Most of summer feels muggy — 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 06 min in early December to 12 h 48 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 6.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Sydney Central Business District
In summer, Sydney Central Business District overlaps its cyclone season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Sydney Central Business District sits in the South Indian Ocean cyclone belt; the season peaks January–March.
Is summer a good time to visit Sydney Central Business District?
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 Sydney Central Business District for general sightseeing.
What to pack for Sydney Central Business District in Summer
From summer's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In summer, Sydney Central Business District sees daytime highs around 24°C and nights near 20°C. Pack sun protection. Worth having: light clothes and rain gear. About 28 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Sydney Central Business District in Summer
The nearest coast averages about 23°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 15 km away) is warmest in February at about 23°C and coldest in August near 18°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Nov 13 to Jun 7 — about 6.8 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 23 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 23 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 22 | Refreshing |
| May | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 20 | Cool |
| Jul | 19 | Cool |
| Aug | 18 | Cool |
| Sep | 18 | Cool |
| Oct | 19 | Cool |
| Nov | 20 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 21 | Refreshing |
UV index in Sydney Central Business District in Summer
Clear-sky midday UV across summer averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sydney Central Business District peaks around January 15 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near June 18 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 12 | Extreme |
| Mar | 9 | Very high |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 4 | Moderate |
| Jun | 2 | Moderate |
| Jul | 3 | Moderate |
| Aug | 4 | Moderate |
| Sep | 5 | High |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 10 | Very high |
| Dec | 12 | Extreme |
Where is Sydney Central Business District?
Sydney Central Business District sits at 33.9°S, 151.2°E, 76 m above sea level, in Australia. The nearest listed city is Sydney, 0.0 km away.
Topography around Sydney Central Business District
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Sydney Central Business District.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Sydney Central Business District has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 99 m around an average of 19 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 221 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,054 m.
The land around Sydney Central Business District is covered by artificial surfaces (49%) and water (32%) within 3 km, water (36%), artificial surfaces (34%) and trees (25%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and water (35%) 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 Sydney Central Business District (-33.8648°, 151.2077°, elevation 76 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.