Australia is an amazing continent, where the ocean coast flows smoothly into the desert, and the humid tropics give way to mountain glaciers.
The geographical location of the most mysterious continent of the earth, coupled with the relief and the oceans washing the mainland, make Australia's climate so multifaceted and different from the rest. On the territory of the country, four main climatic zones can be distinguished, in which weather and temperature differences are clearly manifested.
Why does Australia have calendar and climatic seasons of the year?
The southern hemisphere dictates its own weather conditions for the seasons in Australia, changing the calendar summer, autumn, winter and spring in places. Therefore, the climatic spring on the mainland begins in September and lasts until November. The summer season is limited to the period from December to February. Autumn begins in March and is replaced by a climatic winter in June, which lasts until August.
Australia's tropical monsoon climate (subequatorial)
The north and northeast of the continent is under the rule of the subequatorial climatic zone, so the average temperature throughout the year is kept at around 23-24 degrees. Northwest monsoons in summer bring up to 1500 mm of precipitation to the shores of Australia. In the winter months, the northern regions of the country remain practically without rain. As you move towards the center of the mainland, you can often see severe droughts caused by hot winds.
Three options for the tropical climate of Australia
The eastern part of the mainland is influenced by the Pacific trade winds blowing from the southeast, so these regions of Australia are characterized by a humid tropical climate. The entire coast of the east of the country, together with Sydney up to the western foothills of the Great Dividing Range, is not prone to droughts. The climate here can be called mild, because in the summer season temperatures vary between 22-25 degrees, and in winter they do not drop below 11 degrees. The climatic summer, which in Australia falls in December, January and February, is characterized by little rainfall. The climatic winter in the east of the country, on the contrary, is very humid, so floods often occur.
Deserts cover a large part of the country, making Australia one of the driest continents in the world. The reason for this is the considerable length of the continent along the equator, coupled with mountainous areas that bend the coast along the water's edge. Therefore, most of the precipitation falls on the coast, never reaching the central regions of the country. In addition, the formation of severe droughts is influenced by the low indentedness of the coast and tropical latitudes, which are most heated.
The central and western regions of Australia are subject to a greater influence of the desert climate, where in January temperatures can exceed 30 degrees in the shade, and in July they vary within 10-15 degrees. In the Great Sandy Desert and the Lake Eyre region, the temperature often reaches 45 degrees, and in winter it does not drop below 20 degrees. The temperature in Alice Springs, on the contrary, can drop to -6 degrees. Residents of these regions have not seen rain for years.
Three types of subtropical climate in Australia
The southwestern regions of the country are close in their climatic conditions to the Mediterranean coast of France and Spain. Dry and hot summers give way to warm, humid winters, and in January the temperature can go up to 27 degrees, and in June it can drop to only 12 degrees. The south of the country, which encompasses western New South Wales, the regions surrounding Adelaide and the Great Australian Bight, has a continental climate with droughts and high temperature fluctuations. The most favorable for living and farming is the southwestern part of New South Wales and the state of Victoria. A humid mild climate has been established here with an annual temperature range of 8 to 24 degrees.
Temperate climate zone on the island of Tasmania
Those who dream of the weather of Foggy Albion with cool summers and warm, humid winters should go to the island of Tasmania. There is practically no snow in the region, as it has time to melt, but the total annual precipitation exceeds 2000 mm.
You can enjoy the coolness of the Alps and catch the snow in Australia from June to August in the mountains of Victoria and in the Snowy Mountains near the capital Canberra.
