What is the hottest month in Melbourne?

January is the hottest month in Melbourne, Victoria. The mean maximum temperature in January is 26°C – although it can reach a sweltering 40°C.

Amongst Australians, Melbourne is notorious for its changeable weather. British visitors will laugh at this given the weather in the United Kingdom. But it isn’t always hot in Australia – Tasmania gets downright chilly – and Melbourne is generally a little bit cooler than Sydney.

14 fantastic experiences that make the most of your free time in Melbourne

Get the very best views – on a hot air balloon flight over the city.
See the changing colours of the river – on a sunset kayaking tour – with dinner. (Highly recommended ✅)
Feast and see the sights at the same time – on a four course dinner cruise along the Yarra River.
A genuinely excellent street art tour, led by prominent street artists. (Highly recommended ✅)
The also superb Aboriginal heritage, plants and bush food tour in the Botanic Gardens. (💲 Great value 💲)
Best of Melbourne bike tour – you can see more on two wheels than walking.
Hidden laneways bar crawl OR foodie discovery tour OR chocolate and dessert tour.
Combo ticket for Australian Sports Museum and MCG tour.
Hassle-dodging advance tickets for the Melbourne Skydeck, Melbourne Zoo, the Ice Bar (with cocktails) and Sea Life Aquarium.

Some months are a lot hotter in Melbourne than others, however. Ask any tennis player who has had to complete five sets in 40 degree January heat at the Australian Open…

Melbourne weather: Hottest month in Melbourne

January is indeed the hottest month in Melbourne. The Australian Government’s Bureau of Meteorology states that the mean maximum temperature in January is 26°C. That’s a touch higher than February (25.8°C) and December (24.2°C). The mean maximum temperatures in Melbourne are over 20°C between November and April.

👇 7 great day trips while you’re in Melbourne 👇

Great Ocean Road tour – with koalas 🐨.
Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island tour – with penguins 🐧.
Yarra Valley wine tour – with gin, cider and cheese 🍷.
Grampians National Park tour – with bushwalks and LOADS of kangaroos 🦘.
Mornington Peninsula tour – with hot springs bathing 🛀.
Wilsons Promontory tour – with all manner of native wildlife 🦘🐨.
Dandenong Ranges steam train ride – plus wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary and chocolate-tasting in the Yarra Valley.

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June, July and August are the coldest months in Melbourne. July has a mean maximum temperature of 13.5°C – although it can get considerably colder than that. Remember that mild temperatures in Australia can feel much colder because many Australian buildings don’t come equipped with central heating.

Yarra River during the hottest month in Melbourne — The Yarra River from Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. That walking trail can get mighty hot in January, the hottest month in Melbourne. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Sunniest month in Melbourne, Australia

January also gets the highest number of daily sunshine hours – nine hours a day in contrast to 3.6 hours a day in June. February in Melbourne gets the lowest number of cloudy days per month – 9.7, compared to 18.1 in May.

Rainfall, however, is highest in October, which gets a mean 66mm of rainfall. August, September and October have the most rainy days, while rainfall is lowest in January and February.

The climate data shows a clear picture of a city with a distinct summer and winter, which is not the case in much of Australia. The clear, distinctive seasons thing applies to most of Victoria – particularly along the popular Great Ocean Road coastal driving route.