Hobart weather: When is the best time to visit Hobart, Tasmania?

The best time to visit Hobart is when the weather in Tasmania is warmer and drier. So avoid the Tasmanian winter – June and July in Hobart are cold and wet. Opt instead for the hottest month in Hobart – January.

The weather in Tasmania is somewhat different to the rest of Australia. The Tasmanian climate has definite seasons, and unless you’re coming from Antarctica, you’re going to find winter weather in Hobart or Wineglass Bay pretty cold.

Australia’s smallest state doesn’t have the tropical climate of the Whitsundays or the extreme desert weather of Uluru. Tasmanian capital Hobart is colder than Melbourne and less humid than Sydney. The Hobart weather is closer to that of the UK than the north of Australia.

9 Hobart experiences worth your time.
1. Bruny Island day tour. 2. Port Arthur day tour. 3. Tasman Peninsula cruise. 4. Hop-on hop-off bus. 5. Iron Pot Lighthouse cruise. 6. Mt Wellington bus tour. 7. Maria Island cruise. 8. Derwent River sailing adventure. 9. Boronong Wildlife Park and Richmond day tour.

Best time to visit Hobart, Tasmania

Unlike other Australian states that may be more pleasant in spring or autumn, the best time to visit Hobart is unquestionably summer.

The Australian Government’s Bureau of Meteorology has handy statistics on the hottest month in Hobart. That’s January, when the average daily maximum temperature is 21.8°C. December, February and March in Hobart are also good, with average daily maximum temperatures of over 20°C.

Hobart weather: Tasmanian winter temperatures

Tasmanian winters are considerably colder. In July, Hobart’s average daily maximum temperature is 11.8°C. The Hobart weather in June and August isn’t much better.

Perhaps the starkest measure of the difference between summer in Hobart and the Tasmanian winter is the average number of daily sunshine hours. In January, you’ll get an average of eight hours. In June, it’s an utterly miserable 3.9 sunshine hours.

best time to visit hobart - weather in Tasmania — The summer weather in Tasmania makes January the best time to visit Hobart. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Hobart weather: Driest month

But is the summer weather in Tasmania rainier, making the best time to visit Hobart later in the year? Well, no. February is the driest month in Hobart, and October the rainiest. There are significantly fewer rainy days between January and April in Hobart than the rest of the year. Cloud cover is fairly consistent year round, although there are slightly fewer cloudy days in the Tasmanian summer. If you’re going to take the ferry to Tasmania or go surfing at the infamous Clifton Beach, the right time of year to do so is pretty clear-cut.